The Lights In The Sky
by mosh2themusic
Summary: When the skies have fallen and all hope seems lost, is it possible to ever be happy again? How can someone find love in a world filled with rubble and hate? Hal and Maggie have lost almost everything and everyone in the invasion. What could happen when you fall for someone in a world where blood runs through the streets, and you can never let your guard down?
1. Recovery

Chapter 1: recovery

Hal inhaled deeply, the wind and rain whipping his hair back, as his motorbike roared down the street. It had been almost three months since weaver had returned to the school, with the news of Tom boarding the alien's ship. The Second Mass had reunited with the children, who were safely outside of the school and were slowly making their way away from the city to avoid alien activity. The Skitter patrols had tripled after Weaver and Tom had taken down their structure.

Hal was patrolling ahead with Maggie and Tector, to make sure there were no Skitters or mechs lurking in any of the houses ahead. The further from the city they went, the larger the houses were. Most of the houses were large enough to accommodate majority of the second mass, with the remaining civilians pitching tents on the large gardens. Especially since the battle the Second Mass encountered in Fitchburg, where they lost one hundred people.

It was Hal, Maggie and Tector's job to raid the surrounding houses for useful items while also checking for signs of Skitters. The Skitters came through on the first wave of the attack, clearing the houses of people, but haven't appeared to be back since, most likely because of the isolation of the area.

Hal, Maggie and Tector parked their bikes at the front of a three story wooden farm house before Hal opened the door and allowed Tector and Maggie to enter with their guns at the ready. After a quick sweep of the house, Hal found 3 backpacks in a closet and tossed them to Maggie and Tector.

'Fill these with whatever you can find, meet back here in ten minutes?' Hal asked.

'Sure thing', Maggie and Tector responded in unison, used to the routine by now.

Maggie trotted into the kitchen, Tector wandered into some kind of study and Hal climbed the stairs into a bedroom on the second floor. Hal rifled through some draws before pulling out a book for Ben, _Harry potter and the Deathly Hallows _and some coloured pencils for Matt. Just before leaving the room, Hal spotted a small brown teddy bear on a shelf. He pulled it down for inspection. It was fluffy and wearing a lopsided smile. Hal considered the bear for a moment before shoving it in his bag, planning to give it to Maggie as a gift.

Hal hadn't realised how much he actually liked Maggie until his dad disappeared. Ever since she had tackled him and held a knife to his throat he had been fascinated by her in many ways. He would always learn something unexpected about her at the most random times. Like how she could use a crossbow, the day she taught him when they rescued Ben; or that she could cook with almost anything when they were on patrol and ran out of food (she made jam by soaking a tin of dried apricots they found in water before mashing them and mixing them into some stale, dry muesli). When Karen was taken by the Skitters, she had been sympathetic towards Hal, but had been the only one who made him feel like they hadn't given up on her.

He had been partnered with Maggie for patrols for some time now and so he knew her better than everyone else and yet, he knew barely anything about her. She never talked about herself and if a conversation headed that way she subtly changed the subject. She was so mysterious about her past. The only thing Hal knew was that she had been abused by Billy and Cueball when she was with Pope's gang. He often heard rumours of the terrible things that happened to her there floating through the second mass, but he didn't want to believe they were true and he didn't dare ask her about it.

He and Maggie had been lightly flirting for some time now, only joking around, and with the recent disappearance of his father; Maggie, Ben and Matt, were the only people that Hal would find himself spending time with. Hal found that the sympathy of the second mass only seemed to make him feel worse, like he was choking. Maggie didn't act like that though. She sympathised, but didn't carry on about it every time she saw him. They found themselves together almost all the time. They had patrol often together, so they would also eat together and practice their shooting together Even the second mass had noted the closeness between Hal and Maggie, leading to Hal being teased by his friends and fellow fighters. Hal chuckled at the memory of a conversation from about 3 weeks ago with Dai.

_'I'm going to get some soup, you coming Dai?' Hal asked._

_'Oh I think I'll leave the two of you alone,' Dai said with a wide smile._

_'The two of us…?' Hal asked, confused._

_'Well, I just figured you would be asking Maggie to join you for dinner tonight, Hal, as she's not on patrol.' Dai retorted. Dai laughed out loud at the blush that crept up Hal's neck._

Hal sighed quietly to himself. The only problem was that Maggie wouldn't open herself to any of these feelings. He confronted her about it once, but she just said that the last thing she wanted was a relationship at the moment.

Hal wandered into a bathroom, tossing bottles of painkillers, bars of soap and toothpaste into his bag before heading back downstairs. Maggie was already sitting on a large wooden table, her bag next to her stuffed with canned foods and cooking utensils.

"Find anything good?" Hal nodded towards her bag.

Maggie reached into her bag with a cheeky grin on her face before pulling out an unopened bag of gummy bears.

"Are you serious?!" Hal asked, a smile spreading across his face.

"They're still good," Maggie replied, tossing Hal the bag.

Hal opened the plastic bag and plucked a small green lolly from the packaging. He popped it in his mouth and sighed as the taste of the sugar spread over his tongue. He chucked the bag back to Maggie who chuckled and placed a purple bear between her teeth. She shoved the lollies back into her bag and rolled her gummy bear in her mouth with her tongue, enjoying the flavour.

"It's been a while since I've tasted sugar," Hal smiled, as he sat next to Maggie on the table. She wriggled at his sudden closeness but remained where she was sitting. Maggie sat in silence as they waited for Tector to return. She found the silence comforting, but Hal was feeling slightly awkward. She noticed his fidgeting and looked around the room they were sitting in. It was large, with the big oak table in the middle. Vases spotted the shelves and cupboards around the room, all of them containing flowers that had wilted away a long time ago.

"I used to live in a house like this, you know, pre-invasion," Maggie said casually trying to ease Hal's discomfort.

"Really?" Hal responds, surprised that she decided to strike up a conversation. Maggie was always happy to sit in silence.

"Yeah, my mum, dad, brother and I all lived together south of Boston until…" Maggie trailed off with a sad expression on her face.

"Until what?" Hal asked looking down at her.

"Nothing." Maggie replied, completely zoned out. "We should hurry back. We need to rest up for tonight." Maggie sighed as she snapped out of her reverie. Hal jumped off the table just as Tector came back, his bag stuffed. Weaver had planned an ambush on an alien convoy that were slowly making their way towards them so everyone had to rest up to be on full alert. The trio made their way back outside and jumped on their bikes before roaring back to the Second Mass.

Hal dismounted his bike and waved a hand in greeting to Weaver, who was striding over to where the group was unloading.

"Anything?" Weaver asked in his rough voice as he surveyed the full backpacks.

"No Skitters, but we got a few supplies." Hal said as he stretched and ran his hand through his hair.

"Okay. Go rest up, we move out in three hours." Weaver swept another look over the group before walking off towards the house where the Second Mass was currently stationed.

Tector hitched his bag over his shoulder and made his way to the mess tent. Hal watched as Maggie pushed her bike in a space beside the others and balanced it on its bent kickstand. "You wanna get something to eat?" Hal asked.

Maggie gently shook her head before replying. "Nah, I'm just gonna drop this stuff off and get some sleep." Maggie explained, gesturing to her bag. Maggie picked up the overstuffed bag when the strap promptly snapped, causing the bag to fall to the floor and spew cans of soup, tuna, vegetables and fruit across the floor. Hal burst out laughing at Maggie's bemused expression but quickly regained his composure when she shot him a dangerous look.

Maggie stared down at the mess, considering the option of leaving it there, before sighing and bending down to scoop up the cans. Maggie heard someone picking up the cans behind her and turned around to see Hal walk past her to stuff the cans back into the broken bag. Maggie thanked him; put her own cans in the bag and cradling it to her chest, so as not to let anything spill again, headed inside the large house to where the kitchen was.

Maggie lugged her bag into the kitchen and started to stack the cans into a large pantry that was fairly well stocked. She allowed her mind to wander as she neatly stacked the cans on top of one another, taking her time. She didn't realise that her thoughts had turned to Hal. She stacked the cans slowly, not concentrating as her mind flittered from one memory of Hal to another, like a confused butterfly. He always seemed to know what she was feeling, despite the fact that she carefully hid her feelings from others. Whenever Maggie wandered off to be alone, Hal could always find her.

Maggie would never admit this to anyone, but she was secretly happy every time Hal sought out her company. With news of Tom's disappearance, Hal become very withdrawn. For a week, Hal wouldn't speak to anyone except Weaver, Ben, Matt and herself. Weaver, understanding the loss of his second in command, gave Hal, Ben and Matt two weeks relief of duty. Ben, however, resumed his duties after three days, claiming that the activity kept his mind off his father. Maggie found that helping Hal with his problems also distracted her from her own, giving her a few moments of blessed peace.

Maggie thought about the things that annoyed her about him, like the way his messy hair used to continually fall into his eyes. She had reasoned with him for days about how dangerous it would be if he suddenly found himself blinded in combat, but still he refused to let her cut it for him. Maggie smiled to herself, remembering their friendly argument from so long ago.

_"Hal, would you stop being such a baby and let me cut your hair already!" Maggie huffed, following Hal into the shed that served as their makeshift armoury. Hal picked up his hand gun, and made a beeline for the shooting range. It wasn't much, really. Just a bunch of trash cans with targets painted on them. "Why does my hair concern you so much Maggie?" Hal questioned._

_Maggie considered for a moment before replying, "because none of the girls can see your beautiful eyes if your hair is covering them," she teased. It was a well-known fact that at least a dozen girls in the second mass had a crush on Hal. Hal considered Maggie for a second before shaking his head and turning his attention to the closest target which was a large bin, only 30 feet away. Hal aimed his handgun, hoping to impress Maggie with his improved skills. Just as Hal was about to pull the trigger his hair flopped in his face, causing him to fall back slightly. He pushes his hair away before seeing that he had completely missed the simple target. He turned to Maggie who was staring at him, her mouth a small 'o'. Maggie started to giggle, then chuckle, until she was laughing so hard that she fell flat on her ass. Hal laughed at Maggie, sitting on the floor, until she quickly jumped back up, dusting the dirt from her jacket. "So, I'll see you in my room in an hour then?" Maggie asked, walking away, leaving Hal standing at the target range._

_Maggie heard a knock on her door, and was confused until she opened it to find Hal leaning against the wall. She couldn't help it; her heart quickened its pace ever so slightly. _

_"So…um, I heard long hair was no longer in fashion and I was wondering if you could help me." Hal asked._

_Maggie folded her arms across her chest before stepping to the side, "come in, then."_

_Maggie dragged a chair in front of the mirror on the wall and after a moment of consideration, taped one her shirts onto the mirror, covering its surface._

_Hal sat down, "so…you know what you're doing, right?" Hal asked apprehensively. _

_"Shut up and sit still," Maggie smirked, retrieving a pair of scissors from her bag. After a few minutes of quiet snipping, Maggie spoke. "When I was in hospital, one of the nicer nurses taught me how to cut hair."_

_"Really?" Hal asked, remembering when she told him about her cancer so long ago at the school, "Did you want to be a hair dresser?"_

_"No, but there wasn't much to do at the hospital, I would eventually get bored and was always looking for something to do. She used to sneak in these mannequins that had hair for me to practice on; she even let me cut her hair for her…" Maggie trailed off with a smile playing on her lips at the memory. Hal reached forward to pull her shirt off the mirror. Maggie leaned over and quickly slapped his hand away, "no touching!" she playfully scolded, "You don't get to see until I'm done." Hal leaned back in his chair with a fake pout on his lips. Maggie continued to tilt his head this way and that, constantly snipping. _

_Hal could feel his head getting lighter as more hair of his hair was cut away. Maggie stepped around the chair to stand in front of Hal. She leaned forward and started cutting the hair away from his face. Maggie took a step back, ruffling his hair slightly before bending forward again to cut some more._

_ As Maggie stepped forward she slipped on some of Hal's hair that had fallen onto the hardwood floor. Maggie dropped the scissors as she fell forward and Hal quickly grabbed her hips to try and stabilise her while she put her hands on his chest to catch her fall. Maggie's body crashed into Hal's as the chair toppled over and they were both sent crashing to the floor. Maggie landed on top of Hal, who still had his hands on her hips and her hands were still on his chest, wedged between their bodies. It was at that moment that Anne (who was sharing the room with Maggie) walked in._

_"Oh my…! Um…sorry!" Anne stuttered before quickly shutting the door again. Maggie looked down and realised what Anne had witnessed._

_"Fuck"! Maggie cursed, under her breath, as she jumped up off Hal. "I'll be right back," Maggie told Hal as she ran out the room. "Maggie! What are you…?" Hal called, but she was already gone. Hal sat, confused, in the middle of the floor, rubbing his head._

_Maggie saw Anne disappear down the staircase. "Anne…ANNE!" Maggie yelled. Anne turned and waited for Maggie to catch up. "Maggie, I'm sorry, I didn't realise you two were in there or even that you were seeing each other…" Anne apologised. _

_"No Anne, it's not what it looks like, I was just cutting Hal's hair, but then I slipped and we both fell and…" Maggie paused, trying to catch her breath._

_ Anne looked at Maggie for a while before admitting, "I did hear a loud bang, that's why I came in."_

_"Yeah," said Maggie, nodding, "that was the chair falling over."_

_Anne looked at Maggie for another minute before nodding her head, "that makes sense I guess, well, I'll see you at dinner then." Anne said, walking off._

_"Yeah, see you," Maggie called after her._

Maggie finished stacking the cans and sat down on the floor against a wall, away from the few civilians that were cooking or cleaning. She involuntarily began to also think about the things about Hal that she liked. Like his leadership, his strength, his courage, and his eyes. Those deep chocolate brown eyes that were always watching, always listening and taking in everything…

"Maggie. Hello, earth to Maggie. Come in, Maggie."

Maggie jumped out of her reverie to find Sarah waving her hand in front of her face. "Hey, are you alive or what?" Sarah asked with a small smile. She reached down with her free hand to help pull Maggie up, her other was cradling her month four month old baby, charlotte. "Hey Sarah, what's up?" Maggie asked.

"Nothing really, I just saw you sitting there, looked like you were on another planet?" Sarah questioned.

"Nah, just thinking about some stuff."

"Hmm, wouldn't be anything to do with Hal would it?"

Sarah and Maggie had gotten quite close, and Maggie often found herself talking about the awkward position she was in with Hal. She knew he liked her but she didn't want to let herself feel those things. She didn't want to make a mess of things, she didn't want to hurt him.

"Nah, just thinking. How's charlotte?" Maggie turned her attention to the baby. She stroked charlotte's hand and charlotte grabbed Maggie's finger in her tiny fist, smiling. Sarah chuckled. "Charlotte's fine, I just wish she wouldn't keep waking me up every night!" Maggie smiled.

Charlotte, being the youngest member of the second mass, was always the centre of attention. All the women took turns to help Sarah look after her, charlotte was loved by everyone. Maggie waved goodbye and walked off.

She walked to her room on the second floor but stopped outside the door. She could hear soft crying on the other side. Anne had told only Maggie and Lourdes about Tom's departing kiss and sometimes cried over the loss of Tom when she was alone and having a rough day. Everyone knew the two were very close. Maggie had walked in on Anne crying before, and she didn't really know how she could help. Maggie decided to give Anne some privacy to mourn and instead went to find an empty room she could rest in.

Maggie didn't realise how much everyone's lives would change on their next mission in less than three hours, as she found a room and laid on the bed. Her knife comfortingly in her hand as she welcomed the darkness.

4 hours later, Maggie was standing at the top of an abandoned apartment block, wide awake and with adrenaline coursing through her as she fired and blew a mech that was on the ground to smithereens. She nodded to Hal beside her as the shooting below ceased. So far the ambush had been a success as bodies of dead Skitters were strewn all along the road. Maggie, Hal, Ben, Dai and Jimmy were above in the building while Weaver, Pope, Anthony and the berserkers were on the road below, catching the Skitter patrol in crossfire. The air was ringing in the absence of the load noises the variety of guns had made as the team heard Weaver call from below.

"Ok, we've got about eight minutes until those beamers are spot! Let's wrap it up!"

"Jimmy, stay close!" Maggie called as they group started to exit the building.

"I've got one still moving!" Ben yelled as he raised his gun again.

"Just leave it!" Hal commanded. They needed to get out of the building as soon as possible.

"I can't get a clear shot!" Ben responded as if he didn't hear Hal.

"Ben!" Hal yelled but was too late. He watched as Ben jumped onto a roof below and dropped three stories to land easily on the balls of his feet. Hal rushed out of the building behind the others and came outside just as Ben threw the dead skitter on the floor, his arm and knife running red with its blood.

"Okay, come on Ben. Let's go!" Hal yelled angrily.

"There's another," Ben said with a determined smile, "I can hear it."

Hal stood stunned as Ben raised his rifle and stepped forward, watching as a large Skitter wriggled oddly from behind a wall. Hal watched helpless as he heard Ben shoot, but at the same time the Skitter fell, revealing a dark figure stooped over. Hal heard Ben make a choking sound.

"Dad?!" Hal stood confused for a moment before realisation hit him and he ran forward. He caught Tom just as he was about to fall. Hugging him and supporting him at the same time. By now the rest of the group would be with Weaver back at the vehicles, waiting for him and Ben.

"Dad, we have to go! C'mon!" Hal yelled as he grabbed under his dad's arms, Ben grabbing his legs. Hal heard Tom wince and looked down to see a red stain spread through his dirty shirt. He looked at Ben, who was wearing an expression of horror.

"We have to get him back Ben!" Hal commanded, as the two brothers lifted their wounded father and hurried to the truck around the corner.

"Weaver, incoming, we gotta go!" Hal yelled as they came into view.

"Tom…Tom!?" weaver shouted when he saw the fallen man.

"Quick, put him in here." Maggie said standing in the tray of the truck. As Hal pushed his dad gently onto the truck, Pope looked up from on his bike.

"Mason?! Where the hell did he come from?!" Hal shot him a look and jumped to sit beside his dad and Ben as the truck squealed and raced towards the safety of the Second Mass.


	2. Indecision

**Disclaimer~ i sadly, am not the proud owner of Falling Skies and wish not to be sued, please. :)**

Chapter 2: indecision

Anne placed another blanket on a patient and headed towards the med bus when she heard someone call her name. "Dr Glass! Dr Glass! Anne, help!" Anne turned and her eyes widened at the sight that fell before her.

"Tom?" she gasped. "In here, hurry!" Anne jumped into the med bus. "What happened?" she asked as she helped carry Tom in.

"It was an accident," Weaver explained looking at Ben who was behind Tom's head. "Friendly fire."

"I didn't know it was him, it was dark and…and the Skitters..!" Ben explained with worry in his eyes. Anne gripped his arm tightly.

"Ben, its okay but I have to go now!" Anne ran to Tom, who was now on a bed and barely conscious.

"Help me lift him!" Anne commanded Weaver. They gently tilted Tom on his side before replacing him to the table. Anne leant down into Tom's face, barely centimetres away. "There's no exit wound Tom. I can't stop the bleeding until I get the bullet out, okay? I have to go in Tom, but I could make it worse!" Tom's eyes reeled and fluttered before settling on Anne's face.

"I trust you." He said firmly before slipping into unconsciousness. Anne cut his shirt open, revealing a small hole in his side that poured blood at an alarming rate. She grabbed a long, thin pair of surgical tweezers and glanced at Lourdes on her right.

"I'm going in." she muttered as she positioned herself to remove the bullet from Tom.

Ben moved around to the other side of the bus, trying to get to his dad. He suddenly found his path blocked by Maggie, who was trying to keep people from entering the bus.

"Ben, it's okay." She said firmly. Ben backed down and walked off but didn't feel reassured by her words. He walked across the garden, away from the med bus, trying to get the image of his dad covered in blood out of his head. He wandered in circles around the house until he found himself at the room he shared with his brothers. He sighed heavily before sitting on the edge of his bed, hanging his head in his hands. It wasn't long before he heard footsteps approaching him and Ben looked up to see Hal enter the tent.

"Ben, I've been looking for you. What happened to dad was an accident, okay? But I need to know that you're gonna follow orders next time, or you'll be relieved of duty."

Ben closed his eyes, suddenly exhausted. "Sure," he replied simply. He was surprised when Hal suddenly grabbed the collar of his jacket and pulled him to his feet.

"Ben I'm serious. You will follow my orders on missions, or you will be put on kitchen duty. If you don't listen to orders, you gonna end up hurting someone. You saw that first hand tonight!" Ben reached up and easily removed Hal's hands from his shirt. Hal watched stunned as Ben twisted his hands and pushed Hal to the ground, with barely any effort.

"I'm not the math geek you used to push around, get used to it. I'll follow your orders but you're not dad, so stop trying to be." Hal stood up wordlessly as Ben strode out of the room and disappeared down the hallway. How the hell did Ben get so strong? Hal sighed shakily and ran his hand through his hair. He picked his gun up from where it had fallen on the floor and made his way back to the med bus to check on his dad.

As Hal thudded up the metal steps he smiled at Lourdes, who was putting medical equipment into cupboards, and slowly approached the bed where Anne was hovering. He stood a few feet away as he watched Anne smooth down the thick gauze bandage that covered Tom's bullet wound and pull the thin bed sheet over his bare chest. Hal noticed when Anne's fingers lingered on Toms face, caressing his cheek as he stepped forward.

"How did the surgery go?" Hal asked, his words laced with worry. Anne looked at Hal, inhaled deeply and readjusted her trademark stethoscope.

"I did everything I could Hal, we managed to remove the bullet and stop the bleeding. There doesn't appear to be any serious damage, I think it just nicked a rib. But the rest is up to Tom now." Hal slouched forward slightly, as if the news lifted a weight off his back.

"Thank god. I really thought we were gonna lose him Anne. I thought we already lost him." Hal pinched the bridge of his nose as his eyes stung with fatigue. It had been hours since he last slept, and with the absence of adrenaline and food in his system Hal felt exhausted. Anne placed a small hand on Hal's shoulder and gently squeezed.

"You should go get some rest. Don't worry, there will be someone watching Tom at all times and the second anything changes I'll come and find you." Hal nodded at Anne's promise and muttered a quiet "thanks", before heading out the bus to the kitchen. Hal thought as he slowly walked, dragging his feet. What were the odds of his dad suddenly turning up, after being gone for three months? How had something this remarkable happened, when the past few months had been ruled by fear, darkness and death for the Second Mass? Hal noticed everyone with their heads bent as he walked, whispering about Tom's arrival. Hal strained his ears and caught snippets of the hushed conversations.

"Did you hear? Tom's back. I thought he was dead after walking on that ship-"

"I wanna know how he managed to escape Skitter central-"

"I think he could be hooked up to them still, giving away our location as we speak-"

Hal picked up speed as he neared the house; these conversations were the last thing he wanted to hear at the moment. Once he entered the kitchen, Hal grabbed a bowl from the small stack of crockery and walked up to the two industrial sized pots. Hal chose the chicken noodles over the beef and spooned some into his bowl before taking a seat on a wonky metal chair. He was halfway through his lukewarm noodles when Hal heard the empty chair beside him scrape backwards. He looked up to see Maggie sitting down beside him with two steaming tin-cups of coffee in her hands. She pushed one of the cups towards Hal silently as she took her seat beside him. Hal picked up the cup and raised it to Maggie as a thank you, before gratefully drinking deeply. With the comforting warmth of food and coffee in his stomach, Hal felt much better although he was still exhausted. Maggie sipped at her coffee slowly before breaking the silence.

"You okay, Hal?" Maggie asked, concern laced in her words. Hal sighed and rubbed his eyes. He knew she often worried about him; he didn't have to ask to know she was talking about his dad.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just…I don't know, like, I'm shocked but I'm happy. It's like, one moment, I didn't think I would ever see him again; and the next, he's stumbling around at the exact same time and spot we executed that ambush." Hal drank from his cup again, finishing the last of his coffee. Maggie turned in her seat to face him. She stared at Hal long and hard. Hal noticed her staring and gave her a confused look.

"What?"

Maggie hesitated, "nothing, it's just…"

"Just what?"

Maggie looked at Hal thoughtfully. "You look really tired Hal, no offence. When was the last time you had a good night's sleep?" Hal couldn't stop the small smile that spread on his face. Maggie was never one to be known for sugar coating things. It was one of the many things he liked about her, Hal realised.

"I don't even know anymore Maggie." Hal fiddled with his empty cup, spinning it on the table. Maggie finished her own coffee before swiping up Hal's empty cup and bowl. Hal started to protest but Maggie was quick to cut him off.

"Go get some sleep Hal, before you drop dead on the ground." Hal managed a small smile before pushing himself out of his chair to stand beside Maggie.

"Thanks Maggie," Hal said, gently squeezing her shoulder. Maggie returned the smile before walking towards a large bucket and dropping the dirty dishes inside. She waved to Hal before exiting the kitchen and walking off, while Hal walked out and headed in the opposite direction towards the room he shared with his brothers.

Hal pushed the door aside as he staggered into the dimly lit room. The only source of light came from the soft glow of a lantern on a wonky table and in the glow of the light; Hal could see the sleeping form of Matt, curled up in his bed. Hal looked over to Ben's bed which was, not surprisingly, empty. He was either on patrol, or wandering around outside pointlessly. He sat on the edge of his bed, groaning as he stretched his sore muscles. He kicked off his boots and removed his jacket and gun straps. Hal stretched out on his small bed, on top of his blanket and still wearing his clothes. Hal felt his heavy eyelids droop as his sore muscles relaxed. He turned on his side and looked at the sleeping Matt. His curly hair fell messily into his face, which was wearing a creased frown. Hal rolled onto his back again, crossing his arms behind his head.

He thought about his dad, unconscious in the med bus just outside. Three months ago Weaver came back from the attack on Boston alone, with the news of Tom's disappearance and now…now he was back. Back with the Second Mass, back with his family, back to stand by Weaver's side. Hal frowned as he considered the current situation. How had Tom returned? Where had he returned from? Most importantly Hal thought, what had happened to him when he was with the aliens?

Hal sighed and rolled back onto his side, attempting to clear his mind. Exhaustion dragged his eyelids closed as Hal fell prey to a restless sleep.

Anne dozed in her chair as the morning sun slowly streamed through the window. The sunlight reflected off her brown hair as Tom stirred in the small bed beside her. He blinked for a few moments, trying to focus his vision before he looked down at Anne resting beside him. Tom reached out with his hand and gently stroked her hair. Anne sat up, dazed, before she noticed that Tom was awake. Anne stood up and leaned on the edge of the bed, her face inches from Tom's.

"Tom, Tom you're awake. Are you okay? How do you feel? Oh Tom, what were you thinking! You had us all worried to death!" Anne's words were rushed as she felt Tom's forehead and shone a small penlight in his eyes. Tom suffered Anne's ministrations before he sat up on the edge of the bed, grabbing Anne's small hand in his. Tom gently pulled Anne closer to stand in front of him.

"You're still here?" he asked her sceptically.

Anne shook her head with a small smile on her face. "I never left Tom. I should have had faith that you would come back. For your boys, for the Second Mass."

Tom squeezed Anne's hands in his. "And for you," Tom finished. Anne looked at Tom, surprised, before allowing a large smile to cross her face. Tom slid off the bed and pulled her hand gently toward him and she sighed as Tom enveloped her in his warm embrace. Tom rocked Anne slightly from side to side as he pressed his lips to her head.

"DAD!" yelled Matt, boarding the bus. Tom and Anne separated as the nine year old ran towards them and jumped into his dad's hug, laughing. Right behind Matt was Hal, close to tears as he hugged his dad fiercely.

"I missed you, old man." Hal laughed. Lingering at the door lastly, was Ben. He shuffled his feet uncomfortably as he watched his brothers reunite with his dad, before hesitantly stepping forward.

"Dad, I'm sorry, I…" Ben reached for words that weren't there. Tom shook his head furiously before reaching out and pulling Ben into a tight embrace.

"It's okay Ben. I know it wasn't your fault. Its okay, we're all together now." Tom said as he pulled his other sons back in for a group hug.

"Help! I can't breathe!" matt gasped as he was squished between Hal and Tom. The family pulled apart, laughing with joy at the unlikely reunion. Tom sat back on the edge of the bed, exhausted.

"You still need plenty of rest before you can get up and out again." Anne commented.

Tom chuckled, "yeah, but I need to see Weaver first." Anne hesitated before nodding her head and passing Tom a large overcoat to cover his bare chest. Tom walked to the door of the bus, and was greeted with quite a sight to see. All of the Second Mass was gathered outside, and erupted into applause when Tom appeared. Tom could here different people yelling at him from the crowd.

"Welcome back Tom!"

"Nice to see you on your feet!"

"It's good to have you back Tom!"

Tom's eyes roamed the crowd before finding Weaver standing front and centre. Tom smiled and reached down to shake Weaver's hand firmly.

"You sure gave us one hell of a scare Tom," Weaver said smiling, "I'm sure you have quite a story to tell us, but you just concentrate on getting better first, alright?" Tom nodded before looking down at the large group of people. He recognised many faces; Anthony, Dai, Maggie, Lourdes and even Pope, who looked at Tom disdainfully (there was no change there). There were even a few unfamiliar faces, although Tom noted with great sadness, the Second Mass had appeared to have lost a third of its people.

Tom looked back down at Weaver. "This is everyone?" he asked astonished.

Weaver slowly nodded his head. "We lost a lot of good people Tom. We'll talk about it when you're better." Tom ran his hand down his face and scratched the rough stubble of his beard. Tom slowly stepped off the bus to stand beside Weaver, using the step railing for support. He caught his breath as Dai stepped forward.

"It's good to finally have you back Tom, What took you so long?" Tom smiled as he shook Dai's hand.

"Thanks Dai, it's good to be back."Dai stepped aside to reveal another fighter of the Second Mass. Tom leant against the bus as he shook hands with every single member of the Second mass, as they welcomed him home.

"We don't have to do this now Tom. You should be focusing on getting better." Weaver walked past Tom, who was seated behind his desk, and sat in the chair opposite leaving only the table covered in maps between them. Tom frowned and subconsciously placed a hand on his almost healed wound.

"Anne's taking the stitches out tomorrow, she said the damage wasn't as bad as it looked. I'm more than well enough to talk."

Weaver nodded, "alright then. Why don't you start at the beginning?"

Tom sat back in his chair and cleared his throat before recounting his long and tough journey. "When I first boarded the ship I was lead by Karen into a room. She said that we would move to another location before transferring onto another ship that was more 'hospitable'. I resisted and kept asking them what would happen to Ben, how he was still connected? What they wanted me for? What they were doing on our planet? They refused to answer anything and when I became too much of a nuisance, the struck me with some kind of weapon. It was like a staff with a bulb on the end. When the tip came in contact with me body, it shot some kind of jolt, like electricity through me. They attacked me again and again until I passed out." Tom paused as Weaver's eyes widened, before continuing.

"I woke up, alone, lying in a small room. It wasn't even a room; it was more like a box. I don't know how long they held me there. It could have been hours, or days but it felt like weeks to me. I would shout and scream at them until my voice was hoarse but they never came. Then a Skitter opened up a hidden panel next to me and pulled me out. I remember its face, it was all scarred and he was missing an eye. It tortured me with the staff again until Karen appeared. She commanded it to stop and began to babble on about how she hadn't changed and that she was still Karen."

"I don't remember it happening but we must have changed onto another ship. The one we were on now was huge. I remember Karen leading me down all these hallways until we came to a huge room, like a chamber. The overlord was there, waiting for us. Karen kept referring to it as her 'master' before it took over her and spoke to me."

Weaver interrupted, "it spoke to you through Karen?"

"Just like the Skitters do," Tom continued. "it carried on and on about how all they wanted was peace, and that if we surrendered and backed down then they would put aside a sanctuary for us to live safely in. it was giving examples from our own history, trying to persuade my into giving up the Second Mass's position and freedom. I said no and managed to grab the staff and attack it before I was thrown against a wall and knocked out. I was released shortly after, with other members of different resistance groups onto a field somewhere. The ship flew away but a Skitter and mech was left behind. We all scattered and ran, but they all died. The mech blew them all up, and left when I was the last one standing. I walked for a while until I found out that I was in Michigan. I didn't know what else to do so I just turned toward Boston and started walking."

"I walked and walked for weeks. I ate what I could find when I was hungry, I slept when I was tired and I walked. One day I came across a girl who was being robbed of her food. I saved her, scaring the thief off and in return she let me borrow her motorbike. I rode to the school but I knew you were long gone. I notice lots of airships heading north and so I rode in that direction, hoping to find something. One night I came across the sound of a fight. When I heard your voice, captain, I was so relieved. I noticed a Skitter closing in on Ben so I killed it, which was when Ben accidently shot me. The rest you know and now, here we are."

The silence seemed eerie after Tom's story. Weaver sat speechless, trying to gather his thoughts. "So they let you go, just like that?" he finally asked.

Tom nodded his head absently. "Yes, I don't know why. Perhaps they were thought that I would pass on the message of our option to surrender, maybe that's why they killed all those people to. A little reminder of their power so to say." Weaver removed his cap and ran his hand through his hair before replacing it. Tom was the first to break the silence.

"What happened to the Second Mass? When I stood in front of that group of people the other day, it was a lot smaller than I remember."

Weaver rubbed his eyes and spoke with a great sadness in his voice. "When we hit that alien structure they were after us like nothing could stop them. We ran for as long as we could but they eventually surrounded us, in Fitchburg. Pope and the berserkers found a weak spot in their line and we managed to push through. We made it but we lost a lot of good people, Tom. We lost one hundred soldiers, fighters and civilians."

Tom sat back in his chair, speechless. "Who did we lose?"

"Scott was killed when he tried saving a group of kids that were pinned down. Rick was fine one day, and then just gone the next. Kate died after getting a blood clot; she passed in her sleep peacefully."

"Oh god," Tom said scratching the side of his head. "They were the last family Anne has. Well had," Tom said correcting himself.

"Now that's not true Tom," Weaver said firmly. "Anne may have lost her relatives, but she still has her family, Tom. She still has the Second Mass."

Tom nodded his head, agreeing. "Very true Captain. Honestly, it feels good to be home."

"It's good to have you back, Tom. Just promise me that you won't go wandering off into god knows what again."

Tom chuckled. "Don't worry Captain, I'm not going anywhere for a long time."

"I always knew you would find your way back Tom, through hell or high water you were always stubborn as hell," said Weaver wagging his finger at Tom. Weaver opened a draw in the desk and pulled out a bottle of scotch and two glasses. "I found this quite a while back and I held on to it. I always thought to myself, the day you would come back to us would be the day I crack it open. Will you join me Tom?"

Tom gestured to the glasses in front of him. "I would be more than happy to."

Weaver splashed some scotch into each glass before raising his own in a toast. Tom reached for his own glass, returning the gesture, before sipping the liquor.

"It's been a while." Tom said, lifting his drink.

Weaver smiled. "It sure has tom, it sure has."

Maggie tossed another bag up to Hal, who was standing in the tray bed of a truck.

"Think of all the Skitters we've blown away, they've gotta reproduce to keep their numbers up." she said as she threw up another bag.

"Yeah I wonder how they do it. Maybe they're hermaphrodites." Hal chuckled, catching the bag.

"What like earthworms?" Maggie smirked. "No way."

"You think they mate for life?" Hal mused.

"Nah, they gotta have multiple sex partners."

"So you think Skitters sleep around huh, how do you know for certain?"

"Well think of all the critters in our world, very few mate for life. The best hope for survival is to hook up with anyone healthy enough to enrich the gene pool."

"You still talking about Skitters?" Hal asked jumping off the truck. Maggie laughed and shook her head, punching him lightly on the arm.

"When are we moving on? I'm going stir crazy sitting around with nothing to do."

Hal shrugged his shoulders and ran his hand through his hair. "I'm not sure. Weaver said we will be moving out soon, but everyone just seems to be getting more settled."

"Maybe you should talk to him about it." Maggie offered.

Hal looked at Maggie oddly. "Why?" he asked. "What good will that do?"

"Seriously?" Maggie responded surprised, "Weaver listens to what you say, and takes your opinions seriously. How have you not noticed?"

"He does?" Hal asked confused. "Huh, I never even noticed."

"Of course he does, especially when your dad went missing." Maggie explained, leaning against the side of the truck. Hal was about to answer, but found himself interrupted by an ear-splitting explosion. Hal and Maggie both looked up to see a ball of flame rise in the sky, quite some distance away.

"What the hell was that!?" Maggie yelled.

"I have no idea, but I think we need to go find weaver and investigate."

"What if it's the aliens?" Maggie said grabbing Hal's arm.

Hal looked down at her before answering simply. "Then they've found us."

**Thank you for reading! I'm sorry for the late update and I promise to update the next chapter as soon as I can, I'm sorry about the cliffhanger! R&R for new chapters! Enjoy :)**


	3. Pretty Tricks

**Disclaimer: I do not own Falling skies or any of its many beautiful characters.**

Chapter 3: Pretty Tricks

Hal and Maggie came in sight of weaver's tent, just as he and Tome were coming out.

"What in the hell was that?" Weaver asked as Hal stopped in front of him with Maggie by his side. Tom stood beside Weaver, giving Hal a confused and worried look as he scratched his growing beard.

"I don't know, Maggie and I were just loading up a truck when we heard the explosion," explained Hal, pointing to the thick column of smoke that was rising in the sky.

"What do you think it is, Captain?" queried Tom.

"I'm not sure. Tom, you'll go with Hal, Maggie, Dai, Anthony and myself to check out the situation."

Tom nodded his head. "What if it's a group from another resistance?"

"Then we will help them," weaver said slowly, "but we will not jeopardize the location or safety of the Second Mass, understood?" tom, Hal and Maggie nodded in unison.

"Yes Captain," they called before trotting over to their bikes. Hal looked over at Maggie as she mounted her bike with a spark in her eyes.

"You're excited about this, aren't you?" Hal accused with a smirk.

"I would be lying if I said that I wasn't. We've been stuck here for two weeks, there's nothing I would rather do more than waste a bunch of Skitters." Maggie smiled as she sat on her bike. Hal shook his head, laughing, as he leant against his own bike.

"I agree. It's nice to get into the action again."

Maggie laughed on her bike as Dai, Anthony and Weaver approached, jumping on their own bikes.

"Hal and Maggie, you scout ahead a click and give us the all clear; we'll sit here and give you a head start."

"Yes Captain." Hal nodded. He pushed his kickstand up but stopped when he noticed his dad walking toward him. Tom stopped beside Hal and squeezed his arm.

"Be careful, okay?" he said with concern in his eyes.

"Don't worry dad, I've done advance scouting with Maggie a dozen times before." Hal smiled reassuringly.

"Yes," tom nodded, "just remember, we don't know what this it yet so, stay safe."

Hal also gripped his dad's arm and pulled him into a half hug.

"I will." Hal released his father and looked over at Maggie, who was waiting patiently.

"Let's go." Hal and Maggie kicked their bikes into gear as they drove away from the eyes of the Second Mass.

Hal and Maggie roared through the streets, side by side as advance scout partners. The wind threw Maggie's golden blonde hair behind her, as she pressed her bike to go faster. Hal noticed the large, exhilarated smile on her face, causing him to chuckle quietly to himself. Each click, Maggie and Hal would dismount and leave the signal of safety, a large white circle drawn in the middle of the road with a piece of limestone. On the third stop Maggie pulled the chalky rock out of her bag.

"What do you think it was?" Maggie asked Hal as she dragged the rock in a circle. Hal sat on his bike, gun at the ready, protecting Maggie.

"The explosion? I'm not sure." Hal replied, his eyes scanning the trees and nearby houses. Maggie finished and jumped back on her bike. They rode in silence, apart from the snarling of their engines, to their next stop. When they arrived, Hal and Maggie simultaneously dismounted their bikes, their eyes drawn to the sky. The smoke had subsided but still lazily drifted up, not far away, only around the next corner.

"We'll wait for the others here, we pretty close now." Hal muttered, nodding up at the smoke. Maggie pulled her rifle out and cradled it against her chest comfortingly. Hal swung his leg over his bike, jumping off, and walked around it, stretching his legs.

"Do you have to do that?" Maggie asked with a smile.

Hal looked up at Maggie in surprise, "do what?" he asked innocently.

"Walk in circles," Maggie explained, getting off her own bike. "You're making me dizzy."

Hal stopped walking, shrugged his shoulders and sat on the road, patting the space beside him invitingly. Maggie raised her eyebrows before walking over and sitting a few centimetres away from Hal, not too close. Hal pulled a worn tennis ball out of his pocket and started bouncing it against his bike. Maggie watched silently for a few moments.

"I used to play tennis," she mused absently. "I loved it; I took classes and even won a few competitions. My parents never missed a single match. But that was before…"

"Before the cancer," Hal asked gently, finishing her sentence. Hal vaguely remembered their conversation in the school hallway; it seemed like years ago now. Maggie released a shaky breath and starts playing with her hands. "You never told me what kind of cancer you had?" Hal prompts gently; he didn't want her to clamp up just when she started talking.

"Yeah I did, in the hallway," Maggie states.

"No…you said you had the bad kind, like there's a good kind of cancer..." Hal trails off.

Maggie inhales deeply through her nose before giving Hal a look. "I was operated on 3 times, to remove my brain tumours."

"Tumours?" Hal caught the plural

Maggie slowly nodded her head. Her long blonde hair fell over her shoulder and she pushed it back behind her ear.

"By the time I went in for my third operation I thought if I died, then I would be completely fine with that. It was like I had already had all of the life sucked out of me from all the chemo and the pot and just everyone acting so _nice_…" Maggie coughed, trying to fight the burning in the back of her eyes.

"Hey, are you okay?" Hal asked noticing her rapid blinking.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Maggie rushed, trying to change the subject. "I still have actual holes in my skull from when they operated, do you want to feel?" she asks hesitantly.

Hal was stunned by her sudden openness with him and could only nod his head. He watched as she picked up his hand and guided it to the back of her head. Her hair was soft despite the few chances of bathing that everyone got. She probed with his fingers before finding a spot of her head that was soft, like a baby's head. Maggies hand fell away but Hal kept his hand on her hair and smiled goofily.

"That," Hal said, pressing gently, "is pretty weird Maggie, but its kinda cool." Hal trailed off and looked down at Maggie sitting next to him. She was shorter than him, despite the fact that she was older. Where Hal was tall and muscled, Maggie was petite with a complementing curviness about her.

Hal shuffled even closer to her, with his hand still on her head, and looked into her eyes. Maggie squirmed against his hand as his face was only inches from hers. She could see every scar and burn that defined the features of his face. His warm, strong and kind face… Maggie shook her head, trying to banish these thoughts. Hal noticed, and sighed, still holding her head.

"Maggie," Hal groaned, "you can't act like there's nothing here," Hal gestured to them with his free hand. Hal was sick of the casual flirting; he wanted to confirm that there was something between them.

"Hal, don't," Maggie started as she stood up, his hand falling from her head.

Hal also stood, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Why not?" Hal said, getting impatient. He really liked Maggie, and wanted something more than a friendship.

"The others will be here soon…" Maggie explained.

"No," Hal replied firmly, he gently grabbed her other shoulder and looked at her. She was trying to avoid his gaze, but his eyes, his damn chocolate eyes washed over her, drawing her in…no. she couldn't go through something like that again.

"Hal, it's complicated," Maggie sighed.

"That's a pathetic excuse and you know it," Hal retorted.

"Why can't you just take no for an answer, Hal?" Maggie shouted annoyed.

"Why can't you admit there might be something here?"

"Maybe I don't want there to be anything here!"

"Are you saying you don't like me?"

"I'm saying, maybe I don't want to admit to myself that I like you."

Hal stopped and stared at Maggie. She bit her tongue as her eyes opened wide at the realisation of what she just said.

"Would that really be such a bad thing?" Hal asked.

Before Maggie could even think of reply, he pulled her closer and pressed his lips to hers. She stood stunned, before wrapping her arms hesitantly around his neck.

She doesn't want this, she never wanted this.

Hal was happy that she hadn't tried to push him away; that she hadn't tried to stop him. He moved his hands from her shoulders to around her small waist, lifting her up slightly so she didn't have to stand on her tip toes as he whispered her name.

"Maggie".

Maggie eagerly pulled herself closer in response. He found her lips again, breathing in her scent of rain, dirt and fear. Maggie moved one of her hands up to twist in his hair as she deepened the kiss between them, allowing her feelings for him to finally surface. Maggie and Hal were so occupied with each other that they were oblivious to the noise of the motorbikes, as the rest of the search party arrived. They turned off their bikes a few metres away, Tom staring at his oldest son in shock. He looked over to Weaver, who could only look back at him, his eyes as wide as an owl's. Tom could hear Dai chuckle quietly behind him, and turned back to see Hal and Maggie twisted together in a way that was not for the eyes of others.

"Hal, uh, any chance you could continue this later?" Tom called loudly, and awkwardly.

Hal and Maggie sprung apart in surprise, both of them turning pink and stammering out apologies. Anthony and Dai burst into loud laughter, only adding to their discomfort.

"Alright settle down people," Weaver called, gaining silence and attention. "We're gonna get into formation, we need to be prepared for whatever is around that corner. Remember that we are here to observe, remain allusive and do not attract enemy attention unless instructed. Let's move out!"

Hal jogged over to his bike, starting the engine. He quickly snuck a peek at Maggie, who was also back on her bike. Her cheeks were flushed and she was biting her bottom lip, avoiding Hal's gaze. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, as the search team moved on.

Tom and Weaver, driving in the lead, stopped at the sight that fell before them. Hal, Maggie, Dai and Anthony pulled up alongside them, mouths hanging open at the eerie scene.

"Oh my god…" Tom muttered.

"What in the hell happened here!?" Weaver asked no one in particular. The group stared on, not moving, only looking at the sight of horror.

Dead bodies, bodies of children, lay scattered in a small parking lot. A handful of Skitters and two mechs were also there, lying dead on the ground. Tom got off his bike and slowly walked toward the nearest corpse. It was a boy, slightly younger than Ben. He was spattered with blood and covered with cuts and scrapes. Tom looked around at all the children; they looked like they averaged from ten to sixteen years old.

By now, everyone else was off their bikes and also cautiously walking around the destruction. Tom walked over to another kid, this one a girl, and noticed something strange.

"Captain," he called, "take a closer look at the children, can you see?"

"What is it Tom?" Weaver called from several metres away.

Tom walked slowly among the bodies, his eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "Some of the kids have harnesses, but some of them don't."

Hal's eyes swam over the parking lot. It was true, half of the kids had harnesses (now no longer glowing) and the other half had only a single row of metallic spikes. He looked over at Maggie, her face a mask of horror.

Weaver moved to stand beside Tom. "Well this is new, now they're killing themselves off?"

"Sure as hell looks like it." Dai commented as he kicked a piece of rubble.

"What should we do, Captain?" Maggie hesitantly asked.

Weaver pursed his lips in thought for a moment. "Check for survivors," he said after consideration. "It doesn't look like there are any, but you never know." The gang nodded and spread out to different areas, checking for any signs of life. They worked in silence for a few minutes, and then Hal heard Maggie speak. He looked over to where she was kneeling on the ground.

"What did you say?" he called out to her, confused. He waited for a response, but Maggie didn't seem to have heard him. He got up and jogged over to find her insistently pulling a young boy out from where he was pinned beneath the bodies of other dead children. He looked down at Maggie, confused. She didn't acknowledge his presence, but whispered madly with an almost hopeful look in her eyes.

"Michael, Michael is it you?" she pulled the boy out, and he lay face down in the street, a dark harness on his back.

"Michael!" Maggie grunted, as she rolled the boy over to see his face. Her hands flew to her mouth as she gasped, slowly shaking her head. Hal looked down, and wished he hadn't. The boy's face was covered in cuts and smeared with blood and dirt. His neck was snapped, leaving his head to hang in an awkward position. His eyes were wide in fright, and glazed over. His mouth stretched into a silent scream. Dried blood had once flowed from his nose, mouth and ears.

Hal put his hand on her shoulder. "Maggie," Hal said gently, his voice shaking slightly. She flinched, surprised by his presence. She looked up, and stood, her face quite serene. "Are you okay?" Hal asked grabbing her hand, concern written all over his face.

Maggie stood for a few moments, as if she didn't understand what he said. "Yeah, I'm fine thanks Hal." She pushed her blonde hair behind her ears and ran her tongue over her lips. She smiled weakly at him, before her face turned an alarmingly pale shade.

"Oh, sorry!" Maggie gasped, her hand over her mouth, as she sprinted over to a small patch of shrubbery. Hal winced as he saw her bend over and retch loudly into the bushes. By now, the others had noticed what was happening. Tom looked over, concerned, and Hal raised his hand to show that he had it under control. They shrugged their shoulders and continued on with their grisly task. Hal trotted over to where Maggie was and gently pulled her hair out of her face. She retched noisily again, her body arching. Hal stood hopelessly, holding her hair back and rubbing small, soothing circles on her back.

Maggie coughed and spat into the bushes a few times, clearing her throat. Hal pulled a few loose strands out of her face, which was covered in a light sheen of sweat as she coughed once more.

"Are you okay?" Hal asked desperately. Maggie coughed again.

"Yeah, I think I'm okay now. Thanks." She said shakily. Hal passed her a canteen of water from his bag, which she took gratefully, rinsing her mouth out and drinking deeply. She passed the canteen back and thanked him again. Hal stood awkwardly as Maggie wiped her hand across her mouth, her face still pale.

"Sorry you had to see that," she croaked, her voice hoarse.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Hal asked quietly.

Maggie looked up at Hal for a moment before shaking her head. "Nah, no I…just no."

He looked down at Maggie, whose eyes were red from vomiting and the strain of unshed tears. Hal wasn't sure whether he could be more concerned or confused. "Maggie, what was all that about?"

She shrugged her shoulders, avoiding his gaze. "Nothing, we should get back." Hal sighed but walked back with Maggie silently.

Tom, Weaver, Dai and Anthony were checking the last of the bodies, when Tom suddenly called out. "Weaver! Over here, I got a live one!" everyone rushed over to where Tom was now supporting the head of a young, de-harnessed girl. Her eyes were wide and her breathing came in short, shallow gasps. Her eyes spun in confusion when everyone surrounded her, pupils dilating in fear.

"What happened? Hey, can you hear me? Can you tell me what happened?" Tom was asking loudly. Her mouth opened and closed silently a few times, like a fish out of water, before she spoke in a soft but urgent voice.

"They're dead, they were all killed. I saw, I saw them. There's nothing you can do but run, but you can't. They will find you, so you have to help!"

Tom stared at her, confused. "Who's dead? Who killed them? Who will find us?"

The girl's eyes closed momentarily before reopening. "They're dead. They killed them. The joined ones. We were meeting and they came. They killed us all. Whatever you do, you have to help them." Her eyes fluttered weakly, as her heart fluttered like a hummingbird. "Keep the fight going." She whispered before her eyes glazed over, and her breathing slowly stopped.

Tom kneeled in silence, as the rest of the group watched, lost for words. After a few moments of incoherent thought, Tom reached forward and brushed his fingertips down the young girls face, closing her eyes. Weaver cursed before storming off a few metres and returning, his face sullen. Tom stood and surveyed his comrades around him, Hal who was pinching his nose tightly, Maggie who still looked pale and clammy, Anthony and Dai who were shocked into silence and finally Weaver, whose face changed emotion every few seconds. Confusion to anger, anger to grief, grief to contemplation.

The unit stood as one, facing their captain and waited for his orders. Weaver scratched his growing beard, considering his words carefully.

"Well, I can't really say that I have any idea what the hell just happened. We'll head back to camp and compare what we each heard the girl say, so we can figure out what just happened here. I'll send a group later to form a mass grave so we can bury the children, we won't leave them like this," He said as he waved to the piles of bloodied bodies. Weaver shook his head, not knowing what else to say. "Let's go." He whispered.

They made their way over to their bikes, guns clicking as they were swung over shoulders. Hal walked strait past his bike to stand in front of Maggie's, where she was slowly in the process of swinging her leg over the side. Hal raised his eyebrows sceptically at her weak movements.

"Are you gonna be okay to drive?" he asked seriously.

Maggie rolled her eyes back at him. "I'm fine Hal, you better get on your own bike before you're left behind." Hal sighed, before striding to his own bike and jumping on. He and Maggie pulled into the lead to safely guide the team back to the campsite.

Maggie had brushed her hair and teeth, and was already wrapped up in her bed. After today's events all she wanted to do was close her eyes and sleep, but of course it was never that easy. They had come back, brushing off the curiosity of the Second Mass, before meeting in Weaver's tent. The whole ordeal had been nothing but a pounding in the back of Maggie's head. She rolled on her side, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. The room was pitch black and the other two beds, which were used by Anne and Lourdes, were empty. They always came to bed late, and it was only Eight thirty in the evening anyway.

Maggie counted her breaths to lull herself to sleep, a trick she had been using for many years. After a few minutes she was interrupted by the sound of the door creaking open. Maggie's eyes flew open, as she remained still as a stone on her side, facing away from the door. She figured it was either Anne or Lourdes, coming up to retrieve something from one of their bags, but was shocked when she heard the heavy thud of a man's boot cross the floor. Maggie calculated the distance the intruder was, as they stepped closer, before she lunged out of bed with her knife firmly in her grip. The stranger was cast in shadow as what little light from the open door shone behind him, as Maggie took up a defensive position.

"Maggie, it's just me. Calm down." Maggie stood upright as she recognised Hal's gentle voice. She lowered her knife and walked to the table beside her bed, lighting a candle that she used at night. Hal closed the door behind him as he stepped forward, somewhat awkwardly. Maggie turned around to face him, the candle throwing an eerie light around the room.

"You scared me to death Hal. What's up?" Maggie looked up at Hal, confused. He was shuffling from foot to foot, avoiding her gaze and looking at the wall, at the ceiling, anywhere but directly at her.

"Umm I wanted to talk to you, but I could come back later if you prefer?"

"No, now's fine. I couldn't sleep anyway."

Hal shuffled again, embarrassed. "Okay, um, did you want to get dressed first?" he asked blushing deeply. Maggie looked at herself and realised she was still in the clothes she sometimes wore to bed, which in this case was a tight, white tank top and a pair of light blue panties.

"Oh god!" Maggie gasped, as she pushed Hal back out the door. "Just give me a second." She opened the door again a few minutes later, only now she was wearing jeans and a black singlet. "Come in," she said as she sat on the edge of her bed. Hal sat beside her, much more comfortable now that everyone was wearing clothes. "What's up Hal?" Maggie asked again, curiosity tainting her voice.

Hal breathed heavily before replying, "Maggie, we need to talk."

"Okay, about what?" she asked, although Maggie was sure she already knew the answer.

"About before," Hal answered, "about everything. That kiss…" Hal trailed off, and Maggie held her breath, waiting for him to finish. "I don't really know what happened there. I meant it, and I meant everything I said. I just…I know you said that wasn't what you wanted, and I understand, but you kissed me back, you can't deny it. If you want to give this a go, then that's great, but if not, please just tell me so I'm not waiting on a line." Hal finished, and waited for a response from Maggie. She sat with her hands on her knees, as she stared into thin air, considering what Hal had just said. Hal waited for one minute, two, three minutes. Maggie sat weighing her options before she looked up at Hal.

"I'm not saying no to this Hal, to us. But I'm not saying yes either. I know you've already made up your mind, but I still need to think about it for a while." Maggie looked into Hal's face as he slowly nodded his head. He wasn't really satisfied with her answer, but he had to be patient and give her space. "Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?" she asked.

"Yeah," Hal said hesitantly. "I know you said you didn't want to talk about it but I have to ask, who's Michael?"

Maggie bowed her head, biting her lip against the sudden threat of tears. She rarely cried, and never in front of others, she would never show that kind of weakness again.

"Maggie…" Hal prompted gently.

Maggie inhaled a shaky breath to steady herself. She didn't want to talk about Michael but she knew the subject would have come up sooner or later. Maggie fiddled with her fingers, avoiding Hal's gaze.

"Michael is my brother. I've never been closer to anyone in this world than him. For a long time, all we had was each other." Maggie laid her hands flat on her legs, as she suddenly found interest in one of the floor boards, tracing it with one of her bare toes.

Hal licked his lips and swallowed the lump in his throat. "Was that Michael? The boy you found before?" he asked tenderly. Maggie looked up at him finally, a hard look in her eye.

"No, that boy had brown eyes. Michael's were green." She whispered quietly. "I have no idea what happened to him or any of my family after the invasion. I…I wasn't home when they came."

Hal sat stunned for a moment before hesitantly pulling her into a sort of side hug. Maggie tensed at the sudden, unfamiliar contact but soon slowly relaxed into Hal's arms. His hands were firm yet gentle as they rubbed her arm soothingly. Maggie closed her eyes, leaning into Hal's side. She felt safe in his arms. They were warm as they fit perfectly around her, lulling her into a sense of comfort. Maggie sighed as a wave of exhaustion washed over her. She can't remember the last time she had managed to even sleep for five hours, without the interruption of nightmares and dark memories.

"I'm sorry, Maggie. I had no idea." Hal whispered as he pulled her closer to him, fitting them together perfectly. Maggie battled with her eyelids to keep them open but soon lost when they heavily slid shut, safe and warm in Hal's embrace.

**Hi everyone. I am really sorry about the late update, as I have been busy with school and work. I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you to everyone who has read/is reading my story. please review if you like what you read ;) sorry for any gramatical errors there may be and I will try and upload my next chapter faster! :)**


	4. Jazz Pants and Civics

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own falling skies. No money is being made from this story.**

Maggie woke from her slumber slowly, keeping her eyes closed as she relaxed in her bed sheets. She could feel her skin warming where the fingers of sunlight reached through her open window to gently caress her face. Maggie, eyes still closed, sighed in content. For once nightmares hadn't disturbed her sleep, letting her rest uninterrupted all through the night. She allowed her mind to wander, flickering from one thought to another in a lazy matter as she floated in between sleep and consciousness. Maggie was snapped out of her reverie when she felt her bed move beneath her, shifting slightly. She suddenly came to the attention that she wasn't alone in her bed, as she had previously thought.

Hal lay half beside her and half under her, Maggie curled up on his broad chest. She reflexively froze, like a deer in the headlights. Hal's arms were loosely draped across her body and she could feel his soft, cool breath on the top of her head. Maggie looked down at her legs. She was still wearing the jeans that she had changed into last night but her legs were somewhat tangled with Hal's, making movement difficult.

Hal stirred lightly again, his arms shifting down Maggie's back, as he slowly began to rise from his own sleep. Maggie bit her tongue as she considered what to do. She thought about waking him but decided against it. Instead, she gently unravelled her legs from Hal's and slipped out of his arms, manoeuvring away from him. She rolled onto her side, finally free, and fell out of her small bed and onto the floor.

"Ow!" she grunted, cursing under her breath as she rubbed her head where she had smacked it on the edge of the bedside table. Hal suddenly sat upright in Maggie's bed, the thin blanket slipping down his legs.

"Maggie what happened! Are you okay? Why are you on the floor?" Hal swung his legs over the side of the bed and bent down to help her up.

Maggie shrugged him off and stood up, still rubbing her head. "I'm fine, Hal, I just hit my head." Maggie yanked her jacket off of the bed post and shrugged it on. "I think you should leave now, you shouldn't have stayed here." Maggie straitened her bed sheets and dug into her bag, looking for her toothbrush, avoiding Hal's gaze.

"Well it wasn't exactly my fault." Hal slowly explained. "You fell asleep. I tried to put you into bed but I couldn't do it without waking you. I just lay back with you and must have fallen asleep."

"Why didn't you just wake me?" she asked; her voice hard.

"I just didn't… you just looked so peaceful. You had a rough day yesterday and you always look so tired, no offence. I just couldn't bring myself to wake you." Hal said getting defensive. "What's the problem Maggie? So what, we fell asleep. It's not like it's the end of the world." Maggie looked up, her eyes burning, and Hal regretted his words.

"I know Hal. I know it's not the end of the world. But I don't do that, okay? I said I needed time to think about us."

"Don't do what?" Hal asked, confused. "Maggie nothing happened. We fell asleep, that's all."

"I know Hal, but I don't want to wake up next to some guy one morning." _Not anymore. _Maggie thought to herself. Hal looked at Maggie, the hurt evident in his eyes.

"Some guy? _Some guy, _Maggie? Well I'm sorry you feel bad about falling asleep next to _some guy. _Next time, I won't even bother." Hal made a beeline for the door, a dark scowl covering his face. Maggie's legs buckled as she felt regret wash through her like a tidal wave.

"Hal." She whispered as she placed a hand on his arm to stop him. He turned and looked at her, looking as tired as if he hadn't slept all week.

"One word Maggie. I just need one word to know what you want, so what's it gonna be? Yes or no?" Maggie hesitated and Hal took her silence as an answer. "See? That wasn't so hard now, was it?" Hal brushed Maggie's hand away and strode out of the room.

"Hal wait!" Maggie said spinning around. But Hal wasn't there. He was already gone.

Tom paced around Weaver's tent, his hands folded behind his head. "She said it was the 'joined ones', could she have meant the harnessed kids?"

"I don't know, but that would have to be my best guess. What about the kids that had their harnesses removed? Where the hell did they come from is what I want to know." Their conversation was interrupted when Ben knocked on a tent pole and entered after a nod from Weaver.

"Is it true? What everyone's saying?" Ben asked. "Was there a fight between the different sides?"

Tom threw a glance at Weaver before looking back to his middle son. "What do you mean by 'different sides' Ben? Do you know something about this?"

Ben shuffled nervously as his father's eyes drilled into him, searching for an answer. "Dad, can we talk somewhere?" Ben asked quietly.

Tom shook his head as he answered, "If it's about this then you may as well tell us now, because you know I would tell Weaver anyway." Ben hesitated before indicating to an empty chair. Weaver spread his hands in an open gesture and Ben sat heavily, running his hand through his growing hair. He sat for a few moments, as if to gather his thoughts before he began.

"There's a group of skitters, they're known as the rebels, that have been able to resist the effects of the harness. They have been fighting against the Overlords for many, many years now, but it wasn't until recently that they thought they could actually stand a chance."

Tom, try as he might, couldn't take his eyes off his middle son. Did he seriously just hear Ben say there was a Skitter rebellion!? Tom shook his head, trying to organise his thoughts.

"Ben I… I…what? What do you mean? How did you get this information?"

"Son," Weaver asked, "You need to tell us everything you know."

Ben ran his hand through his dirty brown hair again and clicked his tongue. "I…I have been communicating with their leader." Ben explained, wary of his father's reaction. "He approached me the day before we rescued you, dad. We communicated through the spikes on my back; they would glow when we talked." Ben fiddle with his hands, his words rushing as he finally revealed everything. "We've been meeting regularly, in the woods a few miles away. There are other unharnessed kids there that are helping and I just, I just wanted to help."

Weaver stood, his face turning red in anger and fear. "What were you thinking, Ben! Do you realise the danger that you have put the Second Mass in? What information have you given them?!"

Ben seemed to shrink back into his chair, before a dark look flashed across his eyes and he stood defensively. "All they want is our help! We all have the same objective, to kill every single skitter, mech, and overlord there is. I haven't told them anything, other than that we are fighting the same enemy. Don't you understand?" he pleaded, turning to his dad, "They can't do this without our help. We are their only hope, their only chance to finally drive these aliens off our planet!" Ben's words rang in the following silence, haunting the thick air. Tom placed his hands on Weaver's desk, breathing deeply to once again clear his head.

"Okay. Okay, what? Ben is this true? Are you sure about this?" Tom ran his hand through his hair and Ben sat back down in his seat, the fight suddenly leaving his body.

"Yes, it's all true. It's been going on for months now. That fight that you saw before? I was there. I fought beside the other de-harnessed children! Ben stopped when Tom stood suddenly, his face losing its colour.

"What?" he asked horrified. "You were there? Ben, you have to tell us everything that happened. What were you thinking?! You could have gotten yourself killed!" Ben met his father's stern eyes with a steady gaze.

"The rebels were having a meeting; I was there with them when we were ambushed. We managed to kill them all but we lost many of our fighters. They had the upper hand with the surprise of the attack but there were more rebels nearby, so we outnumbered them."

Now Weaver also stood, trying to contain his emotions. "So what? This is just everyday routine for you? Starting a war in the middle of the streets?"

"It wasn't our fault!" Ben said defensively.

Tom cringed at his son's words. "Ben, I don't want you associating with these so called 'rebels' again, no more. Understood? These kinds of situations get very dangerous. You could have died for crying out loud!"

"But I didn't! And if I don't help to drive these aliens off our planet, then aren't we all just as good as dead?" silence filled the small tent once again, as Ben shuffled from foot to foot restlessly. Tom's eyes burned feverishly.

"No more." He said softly. Ben opened his mouth to reply but instead closed it and strode out of the room.

"Well this is a problem," Weaver stated, sitting back in his seat. Tom kicked the small chair he was previously sitting in, causing to topple over with a loud clatter.

"I don't even know what to do anymore, my boys...They're all growing up so fast." Tom sighed as he picked his chair back up and sat down. The two men were seated in silence for a few minutes as they pondered the current situation.

"I think," Weaver said hesitantly, "that we should move on sooner." Tom nodded his head solemnly in agreement. "Okay then, we'll move out tomorrow morning." Weaver said, glancing at his watch.

Tom shrugged his shoulders and headed out the tent. "I'll start spreading the word," he called over his shoulder as he left. Weaver pulled a flask of water out of his desk draw and drank deeply. After returning the flask Weaver reached further into the back of the draw, groping around until he pulled out a folded piece of worn paper. He looked around before he carefully unfolded the page to reveal a child's drawing of some kittens in a basket. Across the top in the clumsy scrawl of a child was the name 'Sophie', written in orange crayon. He gently stroked his fingers over the drawing before carefully stroking the name. Weaver closed his eyes in a silent prayer before folding the piece of paper and returning it to the draw. He pushed himself out of his chair to head outside, and into the house to call a meeting on the Second Mass's upcoming departure.

Hal pulled his bike forward and rested on the seat as he waited for Tector, Crazy Lee and Maggie to finish gearing up. The early morning sun had turned the sky a light shade of peach, and Hal tugged his jacket tighter against his skin to ward off the early cold. The Second Mass were all packed and ready to go and it was Hal, Maggie and the Berserker's job to scout ahead, clearing a safe path. Hal avoided Maggie's gaze while waiting, despite the fact that he could feel the stare of her eyes boring into the back of his head.

They rode their bikes onto the street and headed in the direction of Boston. In the distance, Hal could see the faint image of the alien structure, half of it covered in a crude resemblance of scaffolding, as the aliens repaired the damaged Tom and Weaver caused with the Mech metal encased RTG. After riding for a few minutes, Hal waved a signal for the others to stop and gather around. He sat on his bike as Tector, Lee and Maggie all pulled up beside him.

"Alright, Weaver said that there was a hospital on the map not far from here on the edge of Boston. It should be about 3 hours steady riding so let's get there in one piece." He looked at the berserkers while giving out his instructions, trying his best to ignore Maggie. It wasn't like he was being childish and holding a grudge. If Maggie didn't want anything then that was fine, he wasn't going to push her. Hal sighed to himself as he rode his bike ahead of the group on the abandoned road. Hal would only admit it to himself but he was hurt by Maggie's rejection. It wasn't her fault, nor was it his, but he still felt hurt all the same.

They managed to make it to the hospital without any stops, gratefully stretching their legs upon arrival. Hal observed the outside of the hospital, which was shabby and run-down. He knew, however, that looks could be deceiving and that hopefully inside were clean sheets, and if they were lucky, some medicine that hadn't been taken. The team, bar Maggie who was guarding the bikes outside, entered the building with their guns at the ready, sweeping through every room to check they were empty.

It looked good. The hospital was empty, and it looked like no one had found it. Any mess they came across was minimal, most likely just left from the initial invasion. At one of the last rooms, Hal's eyes lit up at the site of a pharmacy room. He motioned with his hands to show that he would open the door, so Tector could get a clear shot in, in case there was anyone inside. Hal gripped the handle before ripping open the door, as the team fell in. they raised their guns in anticipation, but the room was silent and empty.

"YEEHAW!" cawed Tector, waving his fist in the air.

"Shhh! Do you have to do that?!" Hal scolded with a smile on his face.

"Just expressing some positivity, boss," Tector chuckled in his southern drawl.

"Nice", Hal muttered to himself as he viewed some bottles on a shelf. The pharmacy was untouched, and stocked to the brim with all sorts of medical supplies. "Alright, we'll get a bit of rest on those nice looking beds we saw while we wait for the rest of the Second Mass." Hal said. Tector and Crazy Lee slouched out of the room, talking quietly between them, almost dragging their guns behind them after their exhausting trip. Hal walked back down the flights of stairs to the entrance of the hospital. There he found Maggie sitting on the steps outside, watching her surroundings intently.

"Lee and Tector are gonna grab a bit of sleep inside while we wait for everyone else. There are real beds inside, clean sheets if you wanna go in."

Maggie turned her head slightly, not looking at Hal but rather acknowledging his presence. "Nah, not in the hospital." She muttered. Hal pursed his lips, as he looked at Maggie. She continued to look into the trees surrounding the road, avoiding his gaze.

"Because of the cancer?" he asked quietly. Even though she had pushed him away, Hal still wanted to be her friend. They were still partners, after all, and he wanted to dispel any awkwardness that was left. Maggie tilted her head slightly in response, shrugging her shoulders. Hal waited a few moments, as the silence dragged on.

"Well, okay. I just wanted to let you know what was going on." Hal turned to leave but stopped at the sound of Maggie's voice.

"Hal. Wait, please." Hal hesitated before turning to stand beside Maggie again. She finally turned to look up at him, before looking away again. "Can you sit, please?" Hal figured he was going to regret it, but sat down beside Maggie on the step anyway. Hal waited patiently for Maggie to speak, as she tapped her fingernails on the smooth cement of the steps.

"Hal, I uh, I just wanted to apologise-"

"Hey, it's okay Maggie. You don't need to apologise." Hal said cutting her off.

"Yeah I do, Hal. I'm sorry about the other morning. I overreacted and I didn't mean what I said. Can you forgive me?" Maggie looked up at him again. Her eyes were sad and lonely, searching Hal's for any sign of forgiveness. Hal smiled and carefully placed his hand over one of Maggie's. She stiffened slightly, but Hal acted like he didn't notice. He gave her a hand a gentle squeeze and smiled again.

"Of course Maggie. I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have intruded the other night. I…I didn't mean to be pushy."

Maggie looked up at Hal again and gave him a small smile. "You weren't being pushy Hal, but thank you." She turned her hand around under Hal's so that she could squeeze Hal's hand in return. Hal sat for a few more moments, his hand entwined with Maggie's, before gently letting her go and stepping back inside the hospital. Maggie turned back to look at the trees surrounding the hospital, a small smile left on her lips.

Hal was organising his bags in the room where he was now sleeping with his dad and brothers when Weaver walked in.

"Hal, how are you feeling?" He walked into the room, his heavy boots clunking on the floor. Hal stood up and stretched.

"I'm good sir. You need me for something?" Hal turned and gave his full attention to his captain.

"We're starting to get low on food. If you're up for it, I want you to go with Tector, Lee and Maggie on a quick scout. Not too far, just to see if there's anything out there we can salvage."

"Sure thing, Captain. I'll go round everyone up now." Weaver nodded in appreciation, leaving Hal to prepare. Hal packed a small bag and headed for the door when Matt came running in. "whoa! Slow down buddy!" Hal chuckled as he stopped his youngest brother. Matt looked up at his older brother.

"Hey Hal. You wanna play some ball outside?" he asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Hal grimaced in regret, he couldn't remember the last time he spent some time with Matt, or anyone in his family.

"I'm sorry buddy, I gotta go on a quick food scout with Maggie." Hal caught Matt's look of disappointment and instantly felt bad. "How about," he said, lightly ruffling Matt's hair, "after I get back, then you and me will go out and play. Sound good?" Matt looked up at Hal, his face an image of delight.

"Okay! Don't take too long!" at that, Matt bounced back out of the room, seeming to have forgotten what he came in for in the first place. Hal smiled and shouldered his bag, as he headed off to find Maggie. Hal wandered around for a few minutes, a little lost, until he came across Anne.

"Anne, hey. Do you know where I could find Maggie? We gotta go on a food scout." Anne looked up and smiled kindly, pushing her hair back.

"She's staying in the same room as me, she should be there. On the first floor, in the paediatrics unit, room Seven." Hal concentrated, remembering the room number.

"Okay, thanks," he waved before trotting off down the hallway.

Hal counted the rooms as he passed them and stopped when he was standing behind the closed door of room seven. He knocked gently, before pushing the door open and sticking his head in. Maggie was sitting on a bed, with her head in her hands. She looked up when Hal entered; confusion in her eyes.

"Hey uh, what's up?" Maggie asked as she quickly stood up. Hal regarded Maggie for a moment.

"Weaver says that we're getting pretty low on food and he wants us to go on a quick scout with Crazy and Tector. We aren't going far, but if you're too tired then I can find someone else…" Hal trailed off.

Maggie snapped into action and immediately picked up her rifle. "Nope, I'm wide awake." She said with a smile. Hal smiled back, glad that they had seemed to have reached a middle ground.

"Okay, we're leaving in ten." He said before he left.

Hal and Maggie waited on their bikes as Tector and Lee came out of a minimart. "Anything?" Hal asked half heartedly. They shook their heads sadly and Hal bit his lip. So far they had only managed to find a few bags of rice and a tin of peaches. "okay we'll go down the next road and see if there's anything there, go in a few houses if we need to.." Hal was interrupted by the low drone of mechs, not far from where they were. "Quick, take cover!" Hal ordered in a hushed voice. Lee and Tector ran towards a car that idled on the side of the road.

"Hal here!" Maggie called. He turned to see her holding open the door of a dusty civic. He ran over and held the door open as she jumped in, before climbing in after her. Maggie perched on the back seat, her eyes wide with fear and excitement. Hal sat beside her on the seat and he smiled at her, a low chuckle rising in his throat. Maggie looked at Hal and couldn't help the small grin that stuck to her face.

Almost instantly, two mechs stomped past the car. "Shit!" Hal cursed. He rolled off the seat and onto the floor of the car, pulling Maggie down and on top him as he fell. Hal lay on his back with Maggie on top of him, who was startled by the sudden movement. She tried to push away but when the lights of more mechs swept through the car she burrowed closer, trying to flatten herself to avoid notice. Hal could feel the rapid pounding of Maggie's heart where her chest was pressed against his.

Hal held on tight to Maggie, "stay calm. Just stay calm." He said soothingly.

"I'm calm, you calm?" Maggie asked.

"I'm calm," Hal said looking at Maggie on top of him. "I've never been so calm."

"Yeah, me neither." Maggie craned her neck to look up out the window as more mechs passed. Hal pulled her down closer, keeping her out of their view. Maggie shifted slightly on top of Hal, her hip bumping against his.

"Ow, so damn bony." She muttered.

"I'll bring you a pillow next time." Hal laughed in a whisper. He looked again at Maggie, who was looking into thin air. "Y'know my first car was a civic. It had 212,000 miles on it. Nobody understood why I wanted it but, I'd just started dating this girl, Rita. There weren't too many places we could go so that car..."

"Was like your bachelor pad." Maggie finished his sentence with a smile.

"You gotta love tinted windows." Hal chuckled softly. "It gave us our privacy."

Maggie was silent for a few moments, a strange look on her face. "Ri-ta," she said, drawing the name out.

Hal gave her an amused expression. "What's wrong with Ri-ta?"

"It's kind of an old lady name." Maggie said, smiling.

Hal raised his eyebrows. "Okay Margaret." Maggie looked down at him and scoffed, chuckling at his light teasing. "She was no old lady, I'll tell you that much. She was a dancer. Jazz, they would do these shows for school, and she would wear these like, stretchy dance pants."

"A leotard?" Maggie asked with an amused expression on her face.

"No not a leotard, it was like some kind of special jazz pant. First time I saw her on stage dancing, I was in love. Like love at first sight."

"Love at first sight of jazz pants." Maggie giggled, trying to stay quiet. Hal, despite himself, joined in.

"I've never met anybody that talks like you." Hal said after a while.

"Not even Ri-ta?" Maggie asked, still grinning.

"There were not a lot of words between us."

Maggie looked down at Hal again. "Or Karen?" she saw Hal's smile disappear almost instantly, and Maggie regretted her last words.

"Well I didn't really get a chance to find out."

"Hey I'm sorry-"

"No, no. Nah. Hey, it's okay. I think that we're okay to move out now anyway." Hal rolled out from under Maggie and pushed open the door, stepping out and leaving her on the floor of the car. He was adjusting his bag on his bike when he turned at the sound of Maggie's voice.

"My problem is I don't know how to stop myself from going too far." She explained.

"Like I said, it's no big deal." Hal replied, shrugging.

"It is. Well, it has to be, right? So I'm a jerk for going there and I'm sorry. I should've just stuck with trashing Rita." Maggie felt relieved when Hal chuckled a little in response. "We good?" she asked hopefully. Hal gave her a meaningful look as his face turned serious.

"always." Hal looked up when Crazy Lee and Tector sheepishly returned, Tector's arm slung across Lee's shoulders. "Ok, we lost a little time because of those mechs, so I think we should call it a day and head home." The team picked up their discarded bikes and drove towards the hospital, the setting sun burning the sky bright orange.

**Hello again everyone. I'm really sorry for the late update, I kept fussing over this chapter, trying to make it better before I just gave up! Thank you to everyone who has kept up with my story so far, I really appreciate your support :) Please read and review! It inspires more chapters!**

**Guest reviewer Hayley: Thank you so much for your continued support. your words are really inspiring. Sorry for the late acknowledgment! Thank you for taking the time to read and review my story. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far :)**


	5. Injuries Old and New

**Disclaimer: Falling Skies and it's characters were created by people who aren't me. Please don't come after me Steven!**

Hal steered his bike through an abandoned district, his team close behind. They weaved between the burnt skeletons of cars and haphazard piles of rubble. Hal estimated that they were no more than three miles from the hospital when an explosion erupted a few metres beside him. He wobbled on his bike before managing to get it under control. The growl of the engines was drowned out by the erratic explosions that blew up on the streets.

Hal pulled over and waited at the mouth of an alleyway for the others to catch up. Lee stopped on her bike, Tector right behind her. Hal felt his heart stop in his chest when he realised Maggie wasn't following them. He jumped off his bike and ran towards the nearby stationary Berserkers.

"Where's Maggie?" Hal shouted over the noise.

"Don't know! Thought she was behind us!" Tector yelled back. Hal looked around, peering through the smoke and small patches of flame for any sight of her. Hal finally spotted her down the street, lying against the side of a mutilated car. Her bike lay several feet away from her, the wheels still spinning. Hal could just make out her face and he saw a look of extreme pain splinter across it as she clutched her side with a vengeance.

"Do you know where that came from?" Tector asked, gesturing to the continuing explosions. Hal didn't answer, he barely even registered Tector's question. He ran back to his bike, shrugging off his bag as he jumped on and started the engine in record time. Hal looked over again and saw Maggie looking straight at him. He saw the fear and pain dance across her eyes, along with an odd serenity and peace, like she had figured her time was coming sooner or later. He craned his neck, trying to get a better view of her.

"Maggie! Maggie can you hear me?!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. His attention was drawn to the corner of the street she was on when he heard the all too familiar drone of mechs. He could hear them stomping down the street, as they blew up every car and building they passed. He looked back at Maggie, who was right in their path, and she instantly read his mind.

"GO!" she yelled. "Get the hell outta here!" Hal drove his bike past Lee.

"Cover me!" he shouted frantically, as he sped towards Maggie, who was still slouched against the car.

"How?! We got nothing to shoot at!" replied Lee, who pulled her gun forward none the less. Maggie saw Hal speeding towards her, dodging the piles of rubble. '_What the hell is he doing_!' she thought to herself, as another wave of pain caused her vision to momentarily blur. '_Why doesn't_ _he just leave me and go_?' a small voice in the back of her head asked.

"GO!" she yelled again. She raises her arm to wave him off, but screams and grabs her side harder when the movement only amplifies her pain. She could feel her warm blood spreading past her fingers, soaking her shirt and running down her stomach. Hal pulled his bike in front of her, spinning it around for a quick getaway. Maggie grunted against the pain as her vision blurred again.

"What are you doing?! Get out of here!" she screamed at him again.

"I can't I gotta haul your lazy ass back to camp!" he yelled back, as more explosions lit up the now dark sky. He reached a hand down to Maggie, keeping a firm grip on his bike. "C'MON!" Maggie looked at Hal's hand vehemently, as if it were poisonous.

"Idiot!" she hisses between her teeth, as she reached up with her free hand to grip Hal's. He pulled her up and onto the back of his bike, minimal effort on her behalf as he easily lifted her up behind him. She wrapped her free hand around his neck, the other still plastered to her side, as she tried desperately to stop the never ending flow of blood. Hal steered the bike back to the Berserkers, gripping Maggie's hand tightly to hold her on.

"Stay with me Maggie!" Hal yelled, trying to keep her awake. Maggie felt her grip unintentionally loosen slightly from Hal's neck as her vision blurred again, the edges turning black. Her eyelids drooped and she fought hard to keep them open. "I need you Maggie! Stay with me, okay? Hold on!" Hal caught up to the Berserkers, who were waiting on their bikes like birds preparing for flight. "C'mon! We have to get her back!" Hal yelled as he drove past, barely stopping.

He turned his head before they left the street and saw the flashing lights of two mechs walking methodically down the road as they destroyed everything. Hal could just make out the shadows of more mechs, before he turned back and raced his bike as fast as it could go. Maggie slouched forward, leaning against Hal, and he could feel her blood soak through the back of his jacket. He peeled her hand from his neck and pulled it over his shoulder, across his chest and down to his hip, keeping a firm grip on her arm, holding her up as she now slouched lifelessly across his back.

He drove, one hand controlling the bike, the other supporting her weight as he raced through the streets at a break-neck speed. Every few minutes of riding, Hal grew tenser. He couldn't control the fear that swam through him every time Maggie moaned softly when he accidently hit a bump in the road. After almost a half hour of driving, he sighed in relief as they finally crossed the outer perimeter of the Second Mass campsite.

"It's okay Maggie, we're here now. Everything's going to be okay." Hal's stomach flipped when he got no response. "C'mon Maggie stay awake, stay with me now!" Hal stopped his bike right outside the hospital, just as a man stepped out. Hal looked up, not even bothering to figure out who it was.

"Get Doctor Glass. NOW!" The man slipped back inside and Hal slid off his bike, pushing down the kickstand, pulling Maggie off with him. He cradled her to his chest, holding her under her shoulders and supporting the backs of her knees. Maggie lay limp in Hal's arms, her breathing shallow and erratic. Hal started running up the steps with Maggie and Anne stepped out the door as he reached the top.

"You were meant to be back hours ago. What happ..." Anne stopped when Hal stood in front of her and her face transformed into one of shock. Hal stepped past her, into the hospital and Anne fell into step beside him.

"There were mechs," he explained in a rush. "She's bleeding bad, I think she was shot." Anne's face instantly turned serious as she slipped into her professional role as medic.

"How long as she been unconscious for?" she asked. She pointed down the hall as she ran ahead and Hal picked up speed when he saw the word 'surgery' printed on the set of double doors.

"I don't know. I tried to keep her awake as long as I could but I had to concentrate on driving. I think she's been out for quite a while." Anne nodded and stopped suddenly at a door halfway down the hallway, opening it and sticking her head inside.

"Mary, I need you to find Lourdes and I need you both in the first floor surgery room NOW!" Hal couldn't see who Anne was talking to, but he saw a dark skinned woman run ahead of them and around a corner. Anne kicked open the door to the surgery room as she pulled her hair back to tie up, while simultaneously holding the door open for Hal. He carried Maggie in and gently laid her on the small operation table. He applied pressure to where he figured the wound was as he waited for Anne, who was spinning around the room like a cyclone, gathering supplies and dumping them on a small tray beside the table.

Lourdes and the woman who must have been Mary came in then, both with their hair tied up and serious looks on their faces. Mary, start an IV drip. Lourdes, get the shirt off. Mary bustled over to a cabinet and Lourdes approached Maggie. Hal watched helplessly as she used a small pair of scissors to cut away Maggie's shirt.

Underneath her shirt Maggie was wearing a white singlet, which was stained with blood up on her right side, above her stomach. Anne, with the help of Lourdes, lifted Maggie slightly from the table.

"Exit wound, I need to check for fragments." Anne muttered. Hal paced, feeling lost. Lourdes removed Maggie's singlet, leaving the top half of her body bare for surgery. Hal looked away, even though she was unconscious, he had a respect for her.

Anne brandished a pair of tweezers and bent over Maggie's body. Every now and then she would pull back and tap a small shard of metal into a small dish. Hal couldn't help himself and looked over at Maggie's wound, wanting to know how bad it was. He instantly regretted it and pulled back again. She had been shot alright, by something big.

The three women seemed to forget Hal's presence as they went about their worked. They didn't rush, but rather worked with a rhythm made to get things done without making mistakes.

"Okay, that's everything. Stitch her up." Anne backed away, her gloved hands splattered with blood. She took them off with a loud snap, as she moved around to check Maggie's breathing and pulse. Lourdes picked up a large needle and a packet of dark medical thread and stepped to Maggie's side again, bending over. Hal sat on the floor, in the corner of the room. Not wanting to get in the way, but not able to leave.

"Vitals are all good. Pressure's coming back down to normal." Anne bustled around Maggie, adjusting dials and fiddling with her IV. She picked up Maggie's blood stained, ruined shirts and tossed them into a nearby medical waste bin. "When Lourdes is done, Mary, clean Maggie up please." Mary stood ready with a stainless steel bowl filled with warm water and a soft flannel cloth, as Lourdes cut the thread and stepped away. Hal pulled his knees up and held his head in his hands.

Hal couldn't help but feel responsible. He should have driven faster to the hospital. He should have had her riding behind him instead of at the back of the group. He should have picked her up faster when she was lying in the road. _What if she doesn't make it_? He asked himself. After seeing her wound, Hal thought there was very little chance of her survival. Even if she did survive, surely there would be issues after to go through, an impairment of some kind. No way could someone get away with only a scratch after receiving a wound like that.

"Hal, I didn't know you were still here." He lifted his head to see Anne's white tennis shoes and raised his head properly. She bent down and offered him a small hand, which he used to stand up. He looked over her shoulder to try and see Maggie, still unconscious on the table.

"Maggie, is she…" Hal trailed off, his voice numb. Anne looked over her shoulder to where Amy was dabbing at her wound. She wiped the cloth across her stomach, ridding it of the blood and revealing a path of smooth white skin.

"Let's talk outside." She murmured, nodding towards the door. It took Hal a moment to process what she had said before he moved towards the double doors, holding it open for her.

Anne walked a few feet down the hall to some chairs, sitting down in one and patting the one beside her. Hal sat and fiddled with his hands. He felt just about ready to explode, he had to know.

"Maggie should be fine, Hal. I removed all the bullet fragments and Lourdes stitched her up tightly. I will admit it was a close call but we got her on an IV and I have some blood down in the storage room I can transfer into later if needed." She grasped one of Hal's hands that were dancing against his leg, holding it still. "She's going to be okay." She said again, giving it a light squeeze. Hal returned the gesture with a small smile.

"I had to give her some pretty powerful painkillers," Anne said gently. "She's going to be out for a while. Why don't you get something to eat and come check on her later?" Anne stood, readjusting her jacket. Hal also stood and shot her a grateful expression.

"Thanks, Anne. I'll come back soon, but you'll let me know if anything happens?" he asked.

Anne smiled and nodded her head. "Of course." She squeezed his shoulder gently as she passed him and walked back down the hall to the surgery room. Hal walked aimlessly. He felt empty inside, but he wasn't hungry. He wandered the halls until he found himself standing outside the room he shared with his family. He cracked open the door and stepped into the dimly lit room, a small lantern in a corner providing the source of light.

He could see the bulge of blankets covering the sleeping matt on his bed, rising softly with each light breath. Ben was nowhere to be seen, which was normal, but what wasn't normal was the presence of Tom. Hal was surprised to see his father sitting on the edge of his own bed, his head in his hands. He normally came to bed later than everyone else, and got up earlier before everyone else. Hal did his best to tiptoe across the room in his heavy boots, stopping beside his dad.

"Dad, you okay?" he asked gingerly.

Tom looked up, and Hal could see the dark smudges of exhaustion under his eyes. He smiled up at his youngest son and patted the bed beside him. Hal sat, sighing heavily. Tom smiled and shook his head. "Nope. Are you okay?"

Hal chuckled and let a small smile escape. "no." they sat in silence for a few moments before Tom finally spoke.

"Have you seen Ben around lately?"

Hal looked up, somewhat amused. "Nah, I keep telling you we gotta put a tracker in the kid." Tom smiled at his response and settled into silence again. "So what's up?" Hal asked. He could tell easily enough when there was something on his dad's mind.

Tom let out a large breath, hunching forward. "Oh, nothing. Just, well, everything I guess. I don't know. This whole situation is a mess. I just want it all to go back, Y'know? No aliens, no invasion, no harnesses…"

Hal frowned at his dad's words. "I wish the same thing every single day, dad. Unfortunately though, we can't change what happened. All we can do is try to make the best of the situation." Tom looked at Hal beside him; they were almost the same height now.

"You sound just like your mother." Hal ducked his head, memories of his mum tugging at his heart. "So what's up with you?" Tom asked, stretching. Hal closed his eyes, the burning threat of tears scorching his eyes. Tom grew concerned and gripped Hal's shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Hal raised his head, his stomach churning. "Maggie was shot on our way back from the food scout."

Tom looked carefully into Hal's face. "Is she okay?" he asked gently.

Hal ran his hand through his lank hair. "Hmm? Yeah, I think so. Anne got the bullet out or something like that. She said Maggie should be fine, but I don't know dad. She lost a lot of blood and I saw the wound. It…she…" Hal trailed off, not knowing what to say.

Tom pulled him into a hard side hug. "Hey, Maggie's going to be fine. You know what she's like, she's strong. If Anne says she's gonna be okay, then there's a good chance everything will turn out fine."

Hal nodded his head, grateful for his dad's reassuring words. "Yeah, she's a fighter." Hal looked down at his watch and scratched his chin. "I'm gonna go down and check on her now. I doubt she's awake but…yeah." Tom smiled gently, understanding Hal's pain.

Hal reached the door before his dad spoke again. "If you see Ben, can you tell him to come find me?" Hal turned and nodded, before spinning around again and shuffling down the hall.

He pushed the door to the surgery room open to find Lourdes disinfecting surgical equipment. He looked to the operation table, but Maggie was gone, all trace of her being there wiped clean. "Where'd she go…where's Maggie?" he asked quietly. Hal couldn't help the feeling of fear that spread through his stomach.

Lourdes jumped at the sound of Hal's voice and turned, pushing her hair back with her wrists. "Hal, Maggie's fine. We just moved her to a room down the hall." Lourdes pointed towards the door and to the right, indicating the direction Hal needed to go. He nodded his thanks and left the room again.

He slowly walked down the hall, peering into the rooms to find the one occupied by Maggie. He noticed Anne retreat from a room further down and when she saw him, she motioned him to come to her. He trotted over and Anne smiled sweetly, reopening the door she had just closed. "She's in here, Hal. She hasn't woken up yet, the bullet just missed her lung. Maggie will be fine after some time to heal and rest."

Hal nodded his head as he absorbed the information she gave him. "Thanks Anne." He said. He pulled her in for a hug and after a moment of surprise, Anne gently hugged him back. "I'm just gonna sit with her for a while." Anne smiled and absently pushed her hair back as she left. Hal stepped into the room and stood for a moment, letting his eyes adjust to the soft, dim light. He sighed when he finally saw Maggie, eyes closed as she lay sedated in the bed. Hal hooked his ankle around the leg of a chair and dragged it beside her bed, sitting down heavily, suddenly exhausted.

Maggie was wearing a soft white singlet, which Anne must have found for her, and she lay in the bed, her head tilted slightly towards Hal. The thin sheets that covered her body lay pooled on her waist and Hal stretched forward, pulling them up to her chest and pushing them around her sides, tucking her up tight. Hal trailed his hand gently down her arm, his fingers tracing one of the tattoos on her shoulder. He brushed a lock of her golden hair from her face, his fingers brushing down her hair trailing her chin. He traced her face, as if he wanted to remember every feature. His fingers brushing her temple, her eyelid, her lips.

Hal sighed and sat back in his chair. He sat for a few minutes before pulling a chunk of wood from his pocket and a small knife from his boot. He carved at the block for a few hours, scratching away small curls of wood shavings. The hospital was quiet now; the only sound to be heard was the footsteps and quiet mutterings of the soldiers on patrol. Hal shifted in his chair, trying to get as comfortable as he could. His eyelids drifted shut, as he fell into a restless sleep, images of Maggie drifting over his clouded vision.

Ben sat on the roof of the hospital, his legs dangling down over the side. He closed his eyes and tilted his head slightly to the side as he concentrated on the muffled voices around him. He could hear soldiers below him on the ground, as they swapped shifts, muttering casual conversations on the weather and the convenience of residing in the hospital. He could hear Pope muttering about the absence of Skitters available to shoot as he sulked around the back of the building.

Ben's hearing seemed to increase every day, although he kept this information to himself. The last thing Ben wanted right now was his dad all over his case, although he already was, thanks to the skitter rebellion. He knew his dad was inside somewhere, most likely looking for him. Ben stood and rolled his shoulders. He knew he couldn't hide from his dad forever so he wandered back inside and made his way to the room reserved by his family. The halls were almost empty now; Weaver had erected a curfew to keep everyone fresh and well rested.

Ben stopped outside his door and checked his watch; it was one in the morning so his chances of Tom being asleep were as good as they were ever going to be. He slowly pushed open the door, making as little noise as possible. He could see Matt asleep in his bed, Hal's bed was strangely empty, and he could make out the shape of his dad, lying in his own bed. He tiptoed to his cot, sat down and put his rifle away. He took off his gloves, his jacket and his boots, leaving him in only a dirty shirt and his cargo pants. He had just pulled back his blankets when his dad sat up.

"Not so fast Ben." He said gently, but with an edge to his voice. Ben froze and sighed. He sat down on his bed, turning to face his father. Tom sat up and swung his legs over the side of the cot so he was sitting in front of his wary son. "We need to talk." Ben sat stiffly, waiting for his dad to begin. "Do you want to explain what the hell is going on?" Ben sighed again and tapped his fingers on the edge of his own cot.

"The rebellion has fought back for many years, on many planets. They were never strong enough to have any hope of winning, until now."

"Why?" Tom asked with no emotion. "Why now?" Ben shifted on his bed, shuffling uncomfortably.

"Because…this is the first time they have come across a resistance group that is as big as the Second Mass, which has lasted as long as we have." Tom clicked his tongue and raised his eyebrows.

"Really? Well that's good to know." Tom couldn't stop himself, and a small curl of sarcasm tainted his words. Ben sat in disbelief for a moment.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Tom shook his head in a dismissing way.

"I believe you Ben it's just…a skitter rebellion? It's hard to think these alien bastards want to actually overthrow each other." Ben didn't move and he looked at his dad with a steely gaze.

"Well it's true." Tom leaned forward, balancing his elbows balancing on his knees. "So tell me then. Who is in charge of this rebellion?" Ben raised an eyebrow.

"They have had many leaders over the years, the one we currently have leading us has been in charge for a while. He managed to work with the overlords and gain access to some of the battle plans. He has plotted spies in many areas so we get a constant stream of information."

Tom sat, seemingly confused. "What do you call him? The skitter leader?"

Ben shrugged his shoulders. "It's hard to pronounce his name. It kinda just sounds like a bunch of clicks. Besides, if we need him, we just talk to him through our spikes. Or we just call him Redeye."

Tom lurched forward as his eyes bulged. "Redeye? Ben, does this skitter have any injuries?" Ben looked up at his dad, surprised.

"Yeah, he's missing half a pincer and an eye, hence the name." Tom stood and rapidly paced to the door and back.

"Ben," he said shakily, "that skitter, the one with the red eye, he's the one that tortured me on the alien ship." Ben looked down at his hands and back up again. He looked passively at his father, before answering him in a solemn voice.

"I know."

**Hello everyone :) I'm so, so, so sorry for the late update! I was away camping for most of last week, and I didn't bring my laptop. I have also had a pretty hectic week, so sorry the ending to this chapter is a little crummy but I didn't know how else to end it. I hope you enjoy it, or what is salvagable from it! Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read and/or review my story, I wouldn't be continuing without your support :)**


	6. Idle Games to Play

**Disclaimer: I own nothing accept the laptop I wrote this own, any OC's I may make, and the plotlines I create.**

Maggie woke slowly, the darkness drifting away. She blinked several times, letting her eyes adjust to the soft light. She lifted her head up to look around, but let her head fall back against her pillow, as she hissed sharply between her teeth. Pain shot up Maggie's side, and she blinked back tears as a thread of fire rippled through her muscles. She lay back in her bed, gasping from the pain until it numbed into a bearable throb. She carefully looked around the room, and at the sheets covering her slim frame. Maggie huffed and closed her eyes, groaning. _Great,_ she thought. _Another stupid hospital. _She carefully rolled her head around to the side and was surprised to see Hal, slumped in a chair and snoring softly.

Maggie watched Hal as he slept. His face was relaxed, erasing the familiar lines of worry that seemed permanently etched into his skin. Maggie lay back in her bed and slowly traced her fingers up the side of her body, prodding her covered skin gently. She stopped when she felt the padding of bandages under her singlet and pulled it up to reveal her wrapped wound. She poked her thick bandage lightly and gasped as pain shot up her side like lightning.

Maggie lay motionless, gritting her teeth until the pain dulled to a bearable numbness. Maggie tried to swallow but her mouth was dry and rough, and her throat felt like it had been rubbed with sandpaper. Maggie looked around the room and lifted her left arm, from her uninjured side, and gently pulled off her blankets. She sat up slowly and carefully swung her legs over the side of the bed. Maggie gritted her teeth as she slipped off her bed, holding onto the side of the frame for support. Her legs trembled as waves of pain crashed through her, causing Maggie to bite her lip against the threatening whimpers.

When the pain had mostly subsided, Maggie looked across the room and her eyes focused on her intended target, a water canteen on a small table in the far corner. Maggie licked her dry lips and staggered forward slowly, holding onto her side as if she could hold the pain in. She stopped after taking a few steps to catch her breath which had been robbed from her body. She turned back to look at Hal, who was still thankfully asleep in his chair. Maggie turned around again and continued walking to the table, soon gasping from the pain again.

Maggie reached out to grab the table so she could lean on it for support, but the moment she put her weight on it she felt it topple over. She reached out to grab it, but she wasn't strong enough and the table fell to the ground, pulling her down with it. The resulting crash of Maggie and the table falling to the floor woke Hal, who instantly sprung up in his seat. He looked around the room, confused, until a raspy voice directed his attention.

"Hal, down here."

He looked across the room and Maggie could instantly see concern and fear smother his face. "Jeez Maggie. What the hell do you think you're doing out of bed?" Hal rushed over and pulled the table off her before grasping Maggie's hand and pulling her up as well. Maggie bit her tongue against the pain, as if it didn't feel like she was being drilled with hot steel. Maggie let herself lean momentarily against Hal before pushing herself off him and standing on her own shaky legs.

"Thanks." She rasped, before staggering back to her bed. Maggie swayed slightly after a few steps and she fell sideways, the ground rushing up to meet her. She was stopped from the impact when Hal reached out from behind her, catching her and setting her back on her feet.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Hal asked again, as he guided her back to her bed. Maggie grudgingly accepted his help, knowing she would most likely fall again without it, as she practically fell back onto her bed.

"I was thirsty." Maggie said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Hal looked back and saw the water canteen where it still lay on the floor.

"Why didn't you just wake me?" he asked as he retrieved the canteen and brought it back to her. He sat down in his chair and looked at her, concerned while she fiddled with the cap.

"You were…" _you looked peaceful, I knew you were tired…you were here for me…_ "You were sleeping," Maggie said quietly, drinking deeply from the canteen. Hal watched her drink for a few moments, until she put down the empty canteen.

"How do you feel?" he asked seriously. Maggie couldn't help herself, and she chuckled darkly at his question.

"I feel like I was shot with a mech bullet." Hal gave her a small half smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. Maggie looked at Hal, who was slumped in his chair, yawning tiredly. "Why were you sleeping in the chair?" she asked, her eyes narrowing. Hal gave her a withering look.

"Because I wanted to be here when you woke up." Hal looked at her seriously, and Maggie stared at Hal, as she searched his eyes for his honest answer.

"How bad is it?" Maggie asked quietly. Hal bit his lip, and hesitated. "Hal?" Maggie asked sternly.

Hal exhaled heavily before meeting her eyes. "You were shot on your right side, just below your chest. I drove you back on my bike, so we lost yours. You were unconscious when I got to you Anne, but she removed all the fragments and stitched you up. You've been put on three days bed rest, and you're allowed back into the field after two weeks."

Maggie's eyes bulged. "Two weeks!?" Hal shrug apologetically, he knew how hard Maggie would find sitting in a room for that long, with nothing to do.

"Maggie I…I need to say something." Maggie looked back at him, from where she lay in the hospital bed. "I'm sorry. When I got you to Doctor Glass, I…we almost lost you. If I had been faster, or gotten to you sooner maybe…"

"Hey." Hal stopped and Maggie reached her hand out to his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It's because of you, that I'm still here." Hal ducked his head, frowning. Maggie squeezed his hand again before letting him go. She looked at him for a moment, tilting her head. "Hal," she asked slowly and seriously, "why'd you come back for me?"

Hal gave her an incredulous look. "Why? What kind of question is that?"

"You could have gotten yourself killed." She replied pointedly.

Hal looked at her like she was insane. "And you'd have died out there."

Maggie was quiet for a moment, and her face was smeared with sadness. "There're people that depend on you, Hal. There're people that need you."

"Same with you." Hal replied seriously. Maggie made a small noise of disbelief and she turned her head as her eyes started to glisten.

"I need you, Okay. I need you. You said it yourself; we've got each other's backs. We look out for each other. We take care of each other. If anything ever happened to you Maggie I…"

"Hey," Maggie said interrupting, "what is this?"

"It's just that uh, I know your gonna say this is crazy, and stupid, but when I saw you laying on the ground. I…" Hal trailed off, lost for words.

"Hey" Maggie said gently.

"What?" Hal asked sharply, he was trying really hard to control his emotions.

Maggie bit her lip, thinking she had upset him. "Nothing I just…"

Hal noticed her hesitation and felt bad. He kneeled down to her bed and asked again in a gentle tone. "What?"

Maggie hesitated a moment. "Could you do me a favour?"

Hal moved closer. "Anything," he said sincerely. Maggie laughed at his willingness to do anything for her, but it was closer to a scared chuckle.

"Sit down." She asked firmly, keeping her voice steady.

"Okay." Hal said, waiting for her request.

Maggie fiddled with her blankets and looked up at him sheepishly. "Could you just stay here till I fall asleep?"

Hal raised his eyebrows and allowed a small smile to light up his face. "I can do that." He dragged his chair closer to the bed and rested his elbows on the edge of the thin mattress. Maggie's smile shrank slightly and she continued to fiddle with the edge of her blanket. She looked up at Hal, who was looking at her before turning her head back down again.

"Hal, there's something I need to say." Maggie pulled on a loose thread, unravelling it from the sheet. "I've been doing some thinking, and you were right. I was scared before, y'know. I still think it's silly, and dangerous, but we only live once right? Especially in a world like this."

Hal moved closer to Maggie, not making any effort to hide his confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Maggie took a deep breath and rolled the thread between her fingers. "I would be lying if I said I didn't feel anything every time I looked at you." Maggie looked at the floor, then at the wall, anywhere but at Hal. Hal himself sat frozen in his chair, his eyes locked on Maggie's.

"I've thought about it," she continued after a few minutes, "and I have decided…yes. I'm sorry I've been acting the way I have for the past few weeks, but if the offer still stands valid, then yes."

Hal thought back to their conversation so long ago when he had asked her the question, Yes or no? He scooted his chair even closer, his knees now squished up against the side of the bed. He looked down before tenderly holding Maggie's twitching hands in his own, rubbing warmth into them gently.

"Maggie, as long as I'm breathing in this messed up world, that offer will always stand."

She squeezed his hand gently back in response, making him smile. Maggie tried to smile back but was interrupted with a yawn, and she suddenly had to fight to keep her eyelids open. Hal softly brushed back a lock of her hair and chuckled quietly.

"You should get some sleep. Don't worry; I'll be here when you wake up." Maggie hesitated before nodding, her head dipping sown low, and carefully shuffling down under her blanket more. She gritted her teeth slightly as pain flashed up her side for a few seconds again, trying her best to keep Hal from noticing. Against Maggie's luck, Hal saw and became concerned.

"Are you okay? Does it hurt? I can get Anne to bring you some more pain medication if you want?" Maggie shook her head at Hal's offers, knowing that medication won't help her. It only momentarily numbs the pain, and Maggie didn't want to crawl back into a drug dependant lifestyle.

"Mm fine, just really tired." She mumbled weakly. Hal raised an eyebrow in disbelief, but settled back into his chair anyway. He watched as Maggie's eyes drifted shut slowly, smiling at the calm that took over her features. He thought she had already fallen asleep, so it surprised him when she spoke after a while.

"Hal, I…I just wanted to say thank you." He looked up, but she spoke with her eyes closed and seemed to fall asleep before he could say anything, leaving Hal to wonder why she was thanking him.

* * *

Tom pushed open the wide double doors and gulped in the crisp morning air. He stepped forward onto the steps, allowing the doors to close behind him with a silent whoosh. He ran his hands through his hair, grimacing when he felt how long and dirty it was. He started to descend the stairs, and he sighed as he reached the bottom, watching a few civilians mingle about on their various jobs. He was about to turn back inside when he spotted Hal, sitting alone under a tree, tossing a worn tennis ball.

He crossed the grass and sat beside his son, who continued to juggle his ball. Hal caught his ball again and rolled it in the palm of his large hand. He looked over at his dad, who had his arms slung over his knees.

"What's up, dad?" he asked as he placed the ball beside him. His dad looked over and smiled.

"Not much, I just came out for some fresh air. How are you? How's Maggie? Anne said she was slowly getting better?"

Hal traced his fingers through the dirt, creating a pattern of dots and swirls. "Yeah, she's doing really well. I came out to stretch my legs when Anne went in to check her over. She'll pull through, Maggie's tough." Tom looked to his side and saw Hal had a goofy smile on his face. He was about to question why his spirits were so high, but decided to leave the matter.

"You didn't come back to the room last night, where were you?" Tom looked over at Hal again, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Hal blinked before sheepishly picking at the thin grass that lay in patches over the ground. "I was with Maggie."

Tom regarded his son with a slightly amused expression. "You spent the night with Maggie? Is there uh, something I should know Hal?"

Hal's head whipped up and his cheeks flamed a light red. "What!? No, it wasn't like that dad. She asked me to stay; we just talked and stuff until she fell asleep."

Tom felt there was more to the answer, but didn't say anything. He knew Hal would tell him if something was going on.

"How's Ben?" Hal asked after a moment. Tom grimaced and flipped his hands. After Ben had revealed his knowledge of Red Eye on the ship, he had walked out of the room, unable to listen to anymore.

"He's good. You should find him sometime when you can. He really misses you, Matt to." Hal nodded. He felt guilty that he hadn't found time to spend with his family lately; he missed them just as much.

They sat in comfortable silence a little while longer, until Tom spotted Anne exiting the hospital.

"There's Anne, I'm gonna go talk to her." Tom said, standing with a grunt. Hal looked over to where she was standing and stood up beside his dad.

"Okay, I'm gonna go check on Maggie, then I'll go find Ben and Matt." Tom smiled and clapped a hand on Hal's shoulder before walking off. Hal slowly made his way back into the hospital, taking his time to get to Maggie's room.

He tapped lightly on her door before pushing it open. He was surprised to see her out of bed, and perched in a large armchair instead. She was curled up, a thin grey blanket draped across her body, and she looked up when Hal walked in, putting down the book she had been reading. Hal smirked as he sat on the edge of her bed, turning to face her, and he raised his eyebrows at the book that was open upside down on the arm of the chair.

"Maggie reading. Maggie is reading? What is happening to the world?!" He donned a face of pretend shock, teasing Maggie. She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Don't get used to it, the instant I'm allowed up and out, you'll never see me sitting around with nothing to do." She sat up gingerly, crossing her legs as she sat upright, holding her side. Hal's brow creased in worry and he slid off the bed, moving to stand beside her chair. He squatted down so he was at eye level with her, their heads close together.

"How did it go with Anne? Anything wrong?" He gently picked up Maggie's cool hands and rubbed them to warm them up a bit. Maggie had to remind herself not to pull her hands away; there was nothing wrong with this. She sighed with content as she relaxed and allowed Hal's strong fingers to gently sooth her own.

"It was fine. She said the wound site was clean, so as long as I keep taking the antibiotics it shouldn't become infected. Tomorrow I'm taken off bed rest and then in two weeks Anne will take out the stitches and I'll be allowed back on the front line." Hal felt uneasy about the short amount of time Maggie was given for recovery. Surely she needed more time. Maggie sensed his discomfort and tried to think of a way to ease his mind.

"Weaver wouldn't put me back on duty if he didn't think I would be safe. Two weeks is a long time, besides, it's not like we've run into heavy combat for a while."

Hal nodded at her words, knowing she was right, but he still felt concerned for her safety. Hal continued to rub small circles on her hands with his thumbs, massaging her knuckles. She gently pulled one of her hands away and brushed his hair back slightly, patting it down.

"Your hair is getting long again." She murmured absently, gently tugging on a dark lock. Hal smiled again before sighing to himself, as much as he wanted to stay with Maggie, he still needed to see his family.

He brought her hands back together again, giving them a soft squeeze. "I promised dad I would go see Matt and Ben for a while, will you be fine on your own until I get back?"

Maggie smiled and playfully wacked the side of his head. "I'm sure I can fend for myself for a few hours. Go see your family."

Hal chuckled and smiled at Maggie again. He had never seen her this way, smiling and open and well, playful. It was a rare treat, and Hal hoped he could find more time with this new, open Maggie. His smile slowly faded, and he leaned his head slowly closer to hers. Maggie automatically froze, she didn't move forward, but she didn't move back either. She felt exposed in this situation. Never before had she been in a proper relationship, so this was all new territory and Maggie knew from experience to tread lightly.

Hal noted her stillness, and didn't want to push her. For Maggie, Hal was willing to wait as long as necessary. He pulled back again, and gently ran the back of his hand down her cheek, stroking her jaw with his thumb once before standing and walking to the door.

He turned after he had pulled the door open and smiled back at her, still curled on the couch. "I'll be back in a few hours, we'll have dinner together." Maggie smiled back.

"See you then." She said quietly and with that, Hal left, softly closing the door behind him. Maggie sat for a moment and then traced her fingers down the side of her face, brushing her fingers where Hal's had been only seconds ago. Her skin felt warm, and tingled slightly from his recent touch. Maggie shook her head before carefully getting up, leaving her blanket and book on the chair. She slowly walked over to a nearby window that overlooked the front of the hospital. She hated this, being slow and weakened, she hated feeling helpless. She looked out the window and saw a few children of the Second Mass kicking a battered soccer ball around, the red face of the Skitter painted on the side spinning through the air. After a few seconds she saw the tall figure of Hal step out and call to someone. One of the children, who Maggie could now see was Matt, ran forward and jumped up into Hal's embrace.

She unknowingly smiled to herself at the sight of the brothers, as Hal joined the kids in their game, subtly letting the children beat him. Maggie unconsciously found her hand at her cheek again, and when she noticed what she was doing, she lowered her hand and closed her eyes.

"Better not screw this one up, Maggie." She muttered to herself before reopening her eyes. She watched Hal run with the kids a little more before turning back and settling back into her chair. She picked her book back up and flicked through it until she found her page, it was difficult to find as the book was very well used and dog-eared. She continued reading, almost able to recite the passage from clear memory of the many years spent reading it.

* * *

Hal clunked up the stairway until he reached his room. He had spent an hour playing ball with Matt and some of the other kids, before going to the hospital cafeteria to have lunch with him. Now he was on a painstaking search for Ben. He had looked everywhere and was walking back to the room to check there for the third time. If Ben wasn't there, he was just going to go back to Maggie; it was getting close to dinner time. He opened the door and popped his head in. He scanned the room quickly and as he suspected, found the room empty. He closed the door again and headed down the hall, in the direction of Maggie's room. He walked around the first corner, only to smack strait into someone walking in the other direction.

"Sorry." Hal said automatically, until he saw who the person was. "Ben! Where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you."

Ben looked up, blinked and shrugged his shoulders. "Just…walking." He mumbled quietly, shuffling his feet. Hal scrunched his eyebrows and leant against the wall.

"Everything okay?" he asked Ben. Ben hesitated before looking up and nodding, a forced smile sticking to his face.

"Everything's fine, Hal." He side-stepped his older brother and walked the short way down the hall, opening the door to the large room. Hal followed right behind him, catching the door before it could swing shut.

He stood in the doorway, watching as Ben reached under his bed for one of his bags, pulling out a hoodie to trade for his jacket. He shoved the jacket into the bag and pushed it back under the bed before turning to face Hal, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What?" he asked coolly, narrowing his eyes. Hal blinked in surprise at his younger brother's attitude, he had always been a pain in the ass growing up, but Hal now noticed how much Ben had changed. He was more private, more reserved, as if he had something to hide.

"What's going on, man?" Hal asked bluntly, he knew something was up, and he was going to make that obvious to Ben. Ben let his arms fall and he shrugged his shoulders again. Hal bit back his annoyance and stepped toward his brother. "You can cut the crap Ben, I know something's up. What's going on?" Ben sighed and pinched his nose. _Just like dad, _Hal thought.

"Nothing's going on Hal." Ben could see that he was going to say more, so he rushed, interrupting his older brother. "I'm just a bit stressed at the moment; I think I might just be coming down with a cold or something. You know I would always come to you if something was wrong. Honestly, everything's fine, Hal."

Hal stood considering Ben's words, before nodding and ruffling his hair. _Wow, it really is getting long, _Hal absently mused to himself. He fished one of his own bags from under his bed and pulled out a handful of odd items. A small notepad of paper, a few ballpoint pens and a battered book of crossword puzzles, half of them already completed and a pack of cards.

Ben looked over from where he was seated on the edge of his bed, curiosity tainting his eyes. "What's all that for?" he asked, re-tying one of his shoelaces that had come undone.

Hal gathered his small pile of belongings on his bed and shoved his bag back in its place. "It's for Maggie, she's still on bed rest for another day, and even though she won't openly say it, she's already bored out of her skull." Ben nodded and scratched his head.

"How is Maggie?" he asked politely, it had been a while since he'd seen Hal, so he may as well make the best of the time.

"She'll be okay, she's strong," Hal said with a smile. Ben returned the smile before stretching and checking his watch.

"Huh, just about dinner time. I'm going to go find Matt and get some grub. You coming?" Ben waited, now standing at the door.

Hal shook his head and waved the pack of playing cards in the air. "Tomorrow. I'm gonna grab some food but then head upstairs and eat with Maggie, keep her company." Ben smiled and nodded before exiting the room. Hal could hear the volume of voices in the hallway increase as people made their way down to the cafeteria for dinner, Weaver had everyone organised to a really neat schedule to make the most of the time each day.

He found a small empty rucksack and hastily chucked his few belongings inside before slinging it onto his back, and heading down to the cafeteria, closing the door behind him.

**A/N: Hi everyone. Thank you to those who are still following my story, and take the time to read/review.**

**I'm sorry that I've been a bit MIA, I know it's been almost a month since my last update! I've been having some hard times lately that took me away from writing, but now I'm back and ready to smash it ;)**

**I would like to thank Bluestarshine, for their constant stream of support for me, towards my story, and when I couldn't bring even bring myself to write. You should check out their stories soon, they are really good! Thank you so much! :) xx**


	7. Go Fish and other Pleasures

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plotlines I create, any OCs I may include and the writing materials used to construct this chapter. Enjoy.**

Maggie stirred her spoon around her bowl slowly, blowing on her soup to cool it. She heard a tap on her door and looked up as it swung open to reveal Hal, juggling two bowls, two pieces of Pope's bread and some spoons. He smiled as he carefully walked in, setting their meals onto the small table where Maggie was seated. Someone must have dragged the table in for them; Hal couldn't remember seeing it before. They had left it in front of the window Maggie was looking out before, giving them a view outside as they sat. Hal sat in the chair opposite Maggie and grinned up at her.

"Hey," he finally said, breaking the silence. He passed Maggie a bowl, some bread and a spoon, before pulling forward his own.

"Hey," Maggie responded, with a tired smile. It was small, but it was there. She gingerly sniffed the contents of the bowl and hummed in appreciation. "Smells good." She said a little glumly.

Hal looked up and frowned slightly. "Some people went on a hunt patrol and picked up quite a few rabbits, so Pope made a stew. What's wrong? Aren't you hungry?"

Maggie grimaced and shook her head. "I'm starving, but Anne said I can only consume liquids until tomorrow, so I'm stuck with tinned pumpkin soup." Hal rolled his eyes and pushed the bowl of steaming stew closer to her.

"Since when does Maggie follow the rules? C'mon, it's basically soup. If you nibble the rabbit real small, it won't make any difference." Maggie raised an eyebrow but dragged the bowl closer, pushing away the orange soup and picking up the fork he offered her.

"I thought you were all about the rules? It seems Hal Mason isn't always the little goody two-shoes?" Maggie smirked as she ate a small bit of the stew. She had to admit, Pope's cooking was good, even if it was made by a degenerate convict. It was hearty, with large chunks of rabbit meat, and even some potatoes that must have been found somewhere.

She licked her lips as the stew filled her stomach, warming her body slowly by each degree. She made sure to chew the meat thoroughly, swallowing only small chunks. Hal looked out the window as he slowly ate. The sun was starting to set and the sky was turning a nice peach colour, pink streaking through the clouds.

They ate in silence, simply enjoying the peaceful company of one another. They finished their meal and Hal stacked their dirty dishes, leaving them on the far side of the table. He reached down for his rucksack, smiling as he opened the buckles.

"What's in there?" Maggie asked almost cautiously, leaning forward to get a better look. Hal gathered all his items before placing them in a neat pile in the middle of the table, pushing them towards Maggie.

"I know you're gonna be stuck in this room for another day, so I brought some stuff to keep us busy." He folded his hands behind his head and tilted his chair back slightly, reclining as he stretched.

Maggie picked up the deck of cards with a raised eyebrow. "Us? So I haven't scared you away with my boringness yet?" He rolled his eyes as he plucked the small box from her hands, opening it and sliding the cards into his palm.

"What's your game?" he asked as he began shuffling the cards rapidly.

"Go Fish." Maggie said without hesitation. Hal gave her a strange look, and his hands paused. Her eyes narrowed, as a smile crept onto her face. She shook her head, grinning wickedly. "Don't ask," she explained, "just prepare to have your ass kicked."

Hal laughed as he dealt out the cards, slapping them on the table. "Bring it on."

They played for hours, and took turns asking questions about their lives before the invasion. Hal asked Maggie harmless questions that he knew she would feel comfortable answering, whereas she asked him all sorts, all which he answered openly.

"Did you ever have any pets?" he asked, passing her a seven she had claimed.

"A goldfish named Jaws. How old were you when you started dating your first girlfriend?"

Hal raised an eyebrow and scanned his cards. "Fourteen. Any twos?" Maggie shook her head and Hal picked up another card from the deck between them. She was beating him 16 to 3, but they still played on.

"What's your favourite fruit?" he asked, adjusting his cards. Maggie raised her eyes for a moment before they flickered back down to her cards.

"Strawberries. Did you ever sneak out to go to parties? And do you have any fours?"

Hal shook his head, smiling. "Go fish, and two or three times. How many tattoos do you have?"

Maggie peeled a card off the deck and clicked her tongue. "Five. Two on my arms, one on my back, one on my ankle and one on my…..thigh." Maggie said quickly. Hal smiled and bit his tongue.

"How high?" he asked, making his voice sound as innocent as possible.

Maggie bit her cheek and blushed a light shade of pink. "High." She responded meekly. Hal laughed lightly at the look of her face, and she rolled her eyes, tossing the crossword book at him from where it had rested beside her elbow. He caught the book and set it back on the table, along with his cards, before yawing and stretching his arms high above his head. Maggie glanced at her watch and made a sound of surprise, before putting down her own cards on top of the deck.

"It's one in the morning Hal, we've been playing for seven hours!" Hal's eyes widened and he rubbed them with his fingers, suddenly feeling how tired they were.

"Better get some sleep or we'll be too tired to play Go Fish tomorrow." Hal said, pushing himself out of his chair.

"You mean later on today," Maggie said with a grin. She picked up the small lantern from the table where they were sitting and carried it to the table beside her bed. She turned to say goodnight to Hal, but was surprised to see him sitting in the chair beside her bed again.

"What are you doing?" Maggie asked curiously, as she sat on the edge of her bed and slipped off her boots.

"I'm staying here, so I can protect you while you sleep." He said with a lazy smile.

Maggie shook her head, frowning slightly. "Your necks going to feel like shit if you sleep in that chair another night. Go and sleep in a bed, Hal. I'll be fine on my own for one night."

Hal shrugged his shoulders and merely settled deeper into the chair. "Doesn't matter, I'm not going." Maggie was about to protest, but the look Hal gave her told her she would lose any argument on the subject. She rolled her eyes and took off her tank top, leaving her in a singlet and black jeans, before climbing into her bed, carefully settling under the covers. She turned on her side so she was facing Hal, and he titled his head to the side for a second, so they were at the same angle.

Hal shuffled around in the chair for a moment before yawning again, and resting his head in his hand. He looked tired, he probably didn't get much sleep in the chair last night, and Maggie knew he had a patrol with Dai at noon tomorrow. Well, later that day.

She sighed, biting her lip, thinking about how stubborn he was. She threw the blankets off her body before pushing herself backwards, away from Hal until she was on the far side of the bed. The bed was small, but big enough to fit two people if they didn't mind squishing.

"Get in then." She smiled at Hal, who was looking confused. His face told her when he realised what she meant, but he still didn't move from the chair.

"Maggie don't be ridiculous, there's no room. I'm fine, just lay back down before you get cold." Hal said, trying to pull her blankets back up.

"Hal shut up and get in. There's plenty of room and you can't go on patrol tomorrow with a bad back and no sleep." His eyebrows creased slightly, and his hands hesitated on the blanket. He opened his mouth to argue, but stopped when he saw Maggie's face. He held up his hands and sat back.

"Fine, just as long as you promise not to yell at me in the morning," he said with a small, wary smile.

Maggie smiled guiltily and propped her head up on her hand. "I promise," she said quietly. Hal waited a moment before kicking off his boots and sinking down into the bed beside Maggie. She suddenly realised how small the bed was when Hal's large frame lay down beside her. She had no choice but to lay against him, a little too close for her comfort. Hal lay back, pulling the blankets over them and sighed in content as he let his head fall back against the pillow. They watched each other for a few minutes, both laying on their sides, facing each other. They hadn't been this close since the time they hid from the mechs in the beaten-up civic not that long ago.

"I am sorry y'know, about overreacting last time. It just took me by surprise; it's been a while since I woke up with someone beside me." Maggie lowered her head, studying the sheet between them. She felt Hal move beside her, wrapping her in his arms. She waited a moment before she hesitantly wrapped her arms around him, and they remained on their sides, in their embrace. Maggie closed her eyes when she felt Hal gently press his lips to her forehead.

"I know," he whispered quietly, "I'm sorry to, I shouldn't have stayed." His arms remained wrapped around Maggie; and hers around Hal. She pulled her head back a little to look into his face. He smiled at her, sweet and genuine. She felt her heart give a slight flutter, like it did every time he smiled at her that way. _He really does like me! _Maggie thought to herself. _If Hal cares about me as much as he says he does, he wouldn't hurt me, right? _Maggie bit her lip as she mentally challenged herself, before she moved her head back to his, and gently pressed her lips against his.

The kiss was short lived, but sweet. Maggie pulled away again and waited, but there was no pain, no fear, only the feeling of warmth and security. Hal's smile grew even bigger and he pulled her closer to him, hugging her. She rested her head against his chest, feeling sleep race towards her.

"Thank you for trusting me," Hal said quietly after a moment.

Maggie didn't move her head from where it rested against Hal. "Thank you for trusting _me._"

Hal smiled, before kissing Maggie on the crown of her head, the smell of her hair filling his nose. He reached his arm back, behind him, and switched off the small lantern, throwing the couple into complete darkness.

* * *

Anne pushed open the door, and gingerly stepped in as she tried to manoeuvre the box of supplies into Maggie's room. She smiled as she looked up, expecting Maggie to be awake already. It was nine thirty, and the morning meetings were well and truly over. She didn't find Maggie awake, but much to her surprise she found Hal, asleep in Maggie's bed. She stepped closer to wake him and ask where Maggie was, but she found her upon close examination. Maggie was curled up in the bed, so small Anne almost missed her if not for the contrast of her black singlet on the white sheets. She was curled against Hal's chest, and he had his arms wrapped around her protectively, with his head resting on top of hers.

Hal looked like he was holding Maggie together, like a protective shell, the way he curved around her. Anne balanced the plastic box on the small table next to a lantern and moved across to the windows, sliding them open one by one, so the cool morning air drifted inside. She picked up a small pile of dirty dishes that were left on a small table and took them out into the hallway, leaving them on a cart filled with the dirty dishes of patients too sick to travel to the cafeteria. She came back inside, Hal and Maggie still sleeping soundly together. She looked at her watch and sighed, she knew neither of them ever got enough sleep, and rest was important for Maggie at the moment; but Hal would get in trouble if he slept any later, and Maggie needed another check up.

Anne stepped up to the bed and gently shook Hal's arm, still hesitant in waking them. Hal stirred slightly and mumbled under his breath but slept on. Anne huffed, before shaking his arm with a bit more force. "Hal," she said gently, "you need to wake up." Hal stirred again, groaning before his eyes slowly opened.

"Anne?" Hal asked groggily. She stood back and crossed her arms, an amused look on her face.

"Honestly Hal, I was just about to get a bucket of cold water." Hal sat up, softly removing his arms from Maggie so as not to wake her, before he slipped out of the bed and stretched.

"Anne?" he asked again. He looked outside and blinked at the sunlight. "What time is it?" he asked, yawning. Anne looked down at her watch and then back at Hal with an eyebrow raised.

"Quarter to ten. Seems you two overslept a little, huh? You missed meetings this morning, I don't think weaver noticed, but your father was looking for you." She tied her hair up with an elastic from around her wrist, while Hal slipped his boots on quickly. He looked back at Maggie, still asleep in her bed before glancing at Anne guiltily.

"Do you _have _to wake her? This is the first time she's slept properly in a while, we were up pretty late last night." Anne raised her eyebrows at Hal's last comment, her eyes flickering over Maggie for a second.

"Hal! Do you think that's the best thing while she's in this condition! I mean, sure, she needs exercise to build her muscles up again, but that's taking it a little far!" Anne scolded. Hal squinted confused, before he realised what Anne thought he had meant. He frantically shook his head, blushing deeply.

"Anne, no! We were playing cards, and lost track of time." Hal pointed over to the small table from last night, where some of the cards were still scattered over the table as proof.

"Oh," was all Anne could manage, her embarrassment obvious. "Sorry. Unfortunately I do, routine check, every fifteen hours to map progress. Hal nodded in understanding, it made sense if it would help Maggie get better. He bent across the bed towards her, Anne waiting patiently.

"Maggie," he whispered to her gently. "Maggie, it's time to wake up, sleepy-head." He brushed the hair back from her face softly, and Anne couldn't help but notice how gentle Hal was treating her, as if he knew how fragile she was. He brushed his lips across her pencil-thin eyebrow, before kissing her temple gently. Anne's eyes widened at his actions, _well, that explains why they were in the same bed, _Anne thought. She turned around and walked a few paces away, giving them some privacy.

Hal whispered soothingly until Maggie moved, opening her eyes. "Hal?" she whispered, still half asleep. She sounded groggy, almost childlike. Hal smiled and gently kissed her forehead, his lips ghosting over her skin. "What time is it?" she asked, her voice sounding stronger as she properly woke up.

"Almost ten, we overslept. I need to go, before weaver kicks my ass for going MIA. Anne's here to check you over." Hal stood back up, and Maggie bit her lip. Anne was here? Maggie had told Hal the other night that she wanted to keep their relationship a secret as long as possible. He had been confused until she explained that she just wanted some privacy before they become public, causing Hal to laugh. _"If that's what you want." _He had said, smiling. He seemed to have been doing that a lot lately.

She pushed herself upright in bed carefully, her side still throbbed in pain, but it was bearable compared with the first time she had woke up after the surgery. Hal looked over her, concerned, but she waved him off.

"Go," she said quietly, smiling at him. She realised she recently had been smiling a lot more, also. Hal hesitated, looking miserable at the thought of leaving Maggie. She squeezed his hand gently. "I'll see you soon." She said softly. She knew that as soon as Hal had some free time on his hands, he'd be back to see her. He smiled, before lifting her hand to his face, brushing his lips across her fingers, kissing her knuckles. He gave her hand a squeeze and turned to leave, nodding at Anne on the way out.

Anne turned from where she had waited in the corner, appearing to have been studying a poster on the first aid techniques for flesh wounds, and approached Maggie, who was now sitting up in bed, her legs dangling over the side. Anne began rifling through the box for a thermometer, and a clipboard with Maggie's previous conditions copied onto the paper.

She turned and passed the thermometer to Maggie, who wordlessly placed it under her tongue. Anne had reverted to the old fashioned glass thermometers, as the updated ones had flat batteries, and no spares could be found. Maggie avoided Anne's gaze, looking at the floor. She passed the thermometer back when Anne held out her hand after a few moments, before she recorded the results. Anne looked back at Maggie, who still looked away, before sighing and putting down her clipboard.

Anne waited, but Maggie still wouldn't look up. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other before she spoke. "I won't tell anyone Maggie, I know you like your privacy." Maggie finally looked up, somewhat awkwardly.

"Thanks," she whispered, so quite Anne almost missed it. Maggie looked away again, fiddling with her fingers. A bad habit that Anne noticed Maggie took up when she was bored or uncomfortable. Anne studied Maggie for a moment. "You kind of look like a teenage girl who was caught in bed with her boyfriend," Anne said lightly, to ease her discomfort. Anne saw the corner of Maggie's mouth lift, but still, away she looked.

"You know you can always talk to me, about anything," Anne said softly. Maggie nodded, still facing the floor. "It's nice that you found someone you can talk to," Anne continued. "It's not good to keep everything bottled up, Maggie." Anne placed a hand on Maggie's shoulder, only to have it shrugged off.

"What makes you think I'm going to tell him anything?" she asked, her head whipping up to finally face Anne. "Nothing good will come from telling him about my past." Maggie muttered. Anne didn't move, expecting Maggie's reaction.

"Closure?" she asked, as if it were obvious. "It's not good to hold it all in. besides, if you're dating Hal, don't you think he deserves to know?" Maggie closed her eyes, feeling the throb of an incoming headache.

Maggie whispered, trying to push the dark memories back again. "If I tell him, it will just bring everything back again. If he knew…he'd hate me." Maggie opened her eyes, looking away again, rocking slightly. Anne shook her head gently.

"No he wouldn't." she said firmly. She wasn't surprised that Maggie didn't respond, and continued with the check-up in silence.

Anne knew Maggie was in pain, she knew about some of the things that had happened to her. Maggie was firm when saying that nothing had happened, but Anne knew better. She needed to know, for medical reasons, so after days of sensible explanations, patience, and mild threats, Maggie told her. Not everything, just the things Anne needed to know. She knew what had happened when Maggie was with Pope's crew, she knew what had happened when Maggie had cancer, she knew what had happened when Maggie's mother re-married, and she knew what had happened when Maggie tried to run away, to protect the ones she loved.

Anne knew it was hard for Maggie to tell her the things she had. When Maggie stubbornly agreed to reveal the medical effects of her abuse, Anne was shocked into silence. Maggie had been strong through the whole thing. She didn't show any emotion, almost like she was telling someone else's story. When she began, she was pulling threads out of a thin sheet, when she finished the remainder of the sheet was the size of a handkerchief, a pile of haphazard thread beside her. She didn't cry, not once. The only time she showed any emotion was when she spoke of her brother, a great sadness had tainted her voice.

When she was finished she had asked Anne to leave her alone, and Anne agreed, after swearing to never repeat what Maggie had told her to anyone. Anne would never tell Maggie, but after she had left, she found an empty room. She sat on a bed and silently wept. She wept because of the events Maggie had survived, and the burden she had to carry as a result. She wept because she understood Maggie's unspoken pain for her missing brother, who was most likely dead. She wept because she never Maggie would never share this burden with another person. She wept because Maggie hadn't.

Anne finished checking Maggie's condition, recording all the results in the table. She packed her equipment back into the small box, putting everything back into its rightful place so as to avoid damage to anything. She turned back to Maggie, who was still perched on the edge of the bed. Anne glanced up as she scanned the sheet, a small smile on her face.

"I'll be back in five hours at three o'clock to re-dress your stitches, and then you're officially off bed rest." Maggie looked relieved at this news, as Anne curled her stethoscope back around her neck.

"Thank you," Maggie said sincerely as she slipped off the bed to stand before her. Anne nodded before picking up the box and leaving, Maggie's soft voice made her pause when she reached the door. "I'm sorry Anne, I just can't."

Anne didn't need to ask what Maggie was talking about, she simply knew. She turned, giving Maggie her attention. "It's okay to share our pain with those who are willing to listen." She said, before opening the door and leaving.

* * *

Hal hurried through the halls, hoping to get some work done before he was spotted. He ducked into the cafeteria first, scoffing a quick, small bowl of oatmeal which he washed down with large gulps of cold water. He slipped into the armoury, setting up his handguns before shoving them into their holsters and buckling them around his waist. He checked himself over quickly before stepping back into the hall, glancing in each direction before heading off to the shooting range.

He got in without being seen, and set himself up in front of one of the targets. He spent an hour practising on his aim and his stance, before he finished and packed up. He opened the door to the armoury to put his guns away, when he walked right into his dad, who was coming out.

"Hal, I didn't see you at the meeting this morning. Where were you?" Hal motioned past his dad, and Tom stepped back from the doorway, allowing Hal to enter and put away his hand guns.

"I uh, I overslept a little. I just got back for some range practice. I'm gonna rest for an hour before patrol." Tom crossed his arms across his chest, leaning against a bench top.

"Gonna get some rest, or go see Maggie?" Tom asked with a restrained smirk. Hal rolled his eyes and smiled, turning to face his dad.

"I might go see her, just check how she's doing…" Hal trailed off and kicked his boot against the floor, scraping his heel in the linoleum.

"You're spending a lot of time with Maggie, things going good between you two?" Tom picked a bullet out of a container and nonchalantly toyed with it, his eyes flickering up to Hal's. Hal ran his hands through his chair and licked his dry lips, suddenly feeling very nervous.

"Ah, yeah. Yeah things are good. Why?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

Tom raised his hands with a smile. "Just asking, making polite conversation." Hal shrugged his shoulders and turned to leave, but his dad placed a hand on his shoulder, making him stop. He turned again, smiling slightly, shuffling from foot to foot. Tom looked his son up and down, squinting slightly.

"You okay?" he asked after a moment, "you look like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar?" Hal chuckled and loosened the collar of his shirt.

"Really? Huh, I feel fine, and there's nothing going on or anything." Tom raised a single eyebrow as he considered Hal.

"Well whatever it is, you know you can talk to me about it when you're ready." Tom smiled, he knew something was up, Hal's mood had been a lot more pleasant lately, and he knew it wasn't a stroke of luck. Hal chuckled and clapped his dad on the shoulder.

"Nothing gets past you huh?" Tom smiled and walked out of the armoury with Hal.

"I guess not. When you see Maggie, wish her a speedy recovery from me." They stood out in the hallway now, empty except for the few people that travelled in and out of doors. "Maggie's a nice girl," Tom said seriously to a stunned Hal, "make sure you treat her right, and look after her."

Hal blinked up at his dad, stunned that he had worked it out. "How did you find out?" he muttered guiltily. Tom rolled his eyes and playfully caught Hal in a headlock, mussing his hair. Hal laughed and squirmed away, to stand beside his father again.

"Because," Tom said with a smile, "because, you look the exact same way you did when you brought your first girlfriend home. All nervous and shy." He laughed, causing Hal to wave him off and start walking away.

"Take it as my blessing!" Tom yelled as Hal walked away. Hal laughed and turned back to wave goodbye before trailing the familiar path back to Maggie's room.

**Hi guys :) I finally got a chapter up on time! self hi-fives for me! okay you know the drill, if you like what you read, or not, review. Reviews inspire me to continue writing, and thank you for taking the time to read/review my story. I hope you enjoy it :)**


	8. Clearing for Comforts

**Disclaimer: I don't own Falling Skies, any of it's characters or plot lines :)**

Maggie turned the page in her book, trailing her fingertips down the delicate paper. She heard a knock on her door and without looking up, chimed; "Come in." she figured it was Hal, who was due back from patrol by now, so she was surprised when Anne came in, until she checked her watch. "Five O'clock already, that was quick." Maggie said as she rose from the armchair to sit on her bed. Anne placed a small bag on the bedside table and began pulling assorted medical items out, most of which looked to be bandages and creams. Maggie sat on her bed and patiently awaited instruction, she was so eager to be out of the room she had been sentenced to, she just wanted to get it over and done with.

Anne looked at the book that Maggie tossed on the bed, where it lay beside her. "Peter Pan." She read aloud. "Don't they have anything better to read?" Anne asked quizzically.

Maggie rolled her shoulders, stretching out the kinks in her back. "It's mine, I…." Maggie trailed off and Anne lowered her head so she was looking into Maggie's eyes. "I used to read it to Michael." Maggie said quietly after a moment. Anne sighed quietly and gave Maggie's knee a gentle squeeze.

"Shall we get started then? The sooner we finish this, the sooner you get your freedom." Anne smiled at Maggie, who managed a small smile back.

"If I had to stay in this room one more night, I'd probably throw a chair through the window and run away." Maggie said, exhaling heavily. Anne raised an eyebrow, and placed a hand on her hip.

"We're three storeys high, how would you get to the ground safely?" Maggie sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know…I would…" Maggie looked slowly around the room. "I would tie the sheets together and climb down." Anne blinked before laughing lightly, and Maggie couldn't help but chuckle.

"Okay, shirt up." Anne said, turning to business. Maggie pulled her shirt up and over her head, before pulling and holding her singlet up and out of the way so Anne could work.

Anne loosened the bandage that was wrapped around Maggie's midriff before rolling it around Maggie's body, removing it bit by bit as she rolled it up. When the bandage was off, Anne observed the healing wound. Maggie also looked down, and was pleased to see that her injury had transformed into a small puckered, crusted wound. The skin was pink and scarred around the edge. Anne picked up a small pot and smothered a small amount of cool cream over the bullet wound. The smell of it made Maggie's nose wrinkle, although it wasn't altogether bad; Maggie had come to hate the smell of hospitals and antiseptic.

"Okay, now you need to sit as still as possible while I remove your stitches." Anne said, sounding like a stern mother. Maggie sat obediently while Anne removed the stitches, one by one. "Okay, almost done." Anne muttered after pulling out the last one. She smothered a little more cream over the scar, rubbing it in until it had disappeared.

"I know it looks like it's almost healed," Anne said haltingly, "but if you move to quick or pull too much, the wound can open up again. Just because you're off bed-rest, doesn't mean you should go hoisting every heavy bag you see."

"Sure," Maggie said quickly, unconvincingly. Anne tilted her head and wagged a fresh bandage in front of Maggie's face.

"I'm serious Maggie, if you open that wound again, you're gonna be looking at a week's worth of bed-rest." Maggie gulped and looked down.

"Okay. I'll be good." She said timidly. Anne put down the bandage and picked up a large, square plaster. She opened the packaging, positioned the plaster carefully and smoothed it over Maggie's skin.

"Try not to get that wet; come see me in three days and we'll see how it's going. If it's healing nicely, you might be able to go out and play with your guns in just a week." Anne noticed a twinkle flash across Maggie's eyes, and quickly moved to buffer any false hope. "BUT, that's only if you go careful over the next few days, and it's healed enough to withstand the amount of work you force upon yourself."

Maggie twisted the upper half of her body around experimentally. The plaster tugged at her skin if she twisted too far to the side, but she still had majority of her full range of motion. She pulled her singlet down, just as a knock at the door sounded Hal's arrival. He came in, as Maggie was pulling her shirt back on. Hal glanced at Maggie on her bed, and then at Anne, who was packing up her supplies.

"Well?" he asked, "are you all good to go?" Maggie smiled and hopped off the bed.

"Sort of, I'm at least allowed to leave this room now." Hal smiled and pulled her forward in a gentle hug, mindful that she wasn't fully healed yet.

"What do you want to do to celebrate?" he asked quietly in her ear. Maggie pulled back slightly and shrugged.

"I don't really care. Aren't you tired? You've been out for five hours." Hal shrugged back, mirroring Maggie's movements.

"Not really. You wanna go grab some dinner? They should be serving it up soon. We should go down so everyone knows you survived. They all miss you, you know."

Maggie crinkled her eyebrows. "Really?" she asked confused. "Who?" Hal chuckled, his hands still around her waist.

"Everyone doofus. Dad and my brothers, Lourdes, Dai, Anthony, Sarah, Tector, Crazy, even Pope asked when they were letting you out." Maggie felt a small timid smile catch her face. She hadn't realised all those people had really known her, except for Sarah and Lourdes.

"Well then," Maggie said finally, "dinner sounds good." Hal smiled again. He leaned forward and gently kissed her. It only took a second for Maggie to remember to softly kiss him back, it was getting easier for her every time, although she still wasn't used to routine of being in a relationship. Hal had crept up on her, and slowly she opened herself up a little more each day to him, without even realising it.

They remained close together until Anne gently cleared her throat, causing them to jump slightly.

"Anne," Maggie stuttered, blushing slightly, "I thought you had already left." Anne smiled and chuckled lightly.

"Unfortunately, no. I'll see you both at dinner then, I presume? You might want to finish all this before you come down." She said, gesturing to them both, causing Maggie and Hal to both blush slightly.

Anne left with a wave, which Hal and Maggie both returned. The door closed, and they were finally alone. Hal smiled, turning back to Maggie, who smiled back. He pulled her gently closer, his arms wrapping around her waist. Maggie stretched her own arms up to encircle them around Hal's neck resting her head on his shoulder.

Hal swayed from side to side lazily, rocking Maggie slightly. She sighed softly, relaxing in Hal's arms. He lifted one of his arms up to run his hand over her hair, running his fingers through the thick strands. He played with her hair gently, wrapping and loosening the golden locks around his fingers.

Maggie smiled and closed her eyes, feeling like she was melting with content. She hummed appreciatively, like a cat would purr. She leaned into Hal and he automatically pulled her closer. They remained like that for several minutes, until Hal pulled away, chuckling softly. He kissed her again gently and Maggie responded likewise.

"Do you plan on staying here any longer, or shall we go?" Maggie smiled and playfully shoved Hal, who laughed. They left, closing the door behind them, and headed for the cafeteria.

Maggie stretched as she walked, "it's nice to be able to move again," she sighed. Hal jumped forward and mussed her hair, making her huff and smile. She ducked out of his reach and patted her hair back down, before returning to his side. Hal threw an arm across her shoulders automatically as they walked, and Maggie smiled. Hal pushed open the heavy cafeteria door and held it open for Maggie to step through. Hal looked around until he spotted Matt waving frantically from a table in the corner.

Hal pointed it out, and Maggie followed him timidly. Matt, Ben, Tom, Dai, Lourdes and Anne were already seated when Hal pulled up two chairs over to join them.

"Nice to see you up and about, Maggie," Lourdes spoke first. Maggie smiled a little as she sat down.

"Thanks, it's good to be up and about." Maggie looked around for Hal, who had disappeared. She spotted him in the line for food, two trays in his hands. Maggie turned back and graciously accepted the well wishes from everyone, as they continued eating their own food. Matt looked up from his bowl and looked at Maggie, curiosity in his eyes. He leant forward on the table, so as to be closer to Maggie.

"Miss Maggie," he said, are you gonna get a scar from where you were shot?"

Tom looked sternly at the young boy, Matt, I'm sure Margaret doesn't want to be pestered with questions like that."

Maggie turned her attention to Tom and smiled uncertainly. "It's okay, really. And please, call me Maggie." Tom smiled before turning back to Dai, resuming the conversation they were having.

"Probably," Maggie answered, turning to Matt again. "And you don't have to call me 'miss', Maggie will do just fine."

Matt furrowed his brow and scooted his chair closer to Maggie. "Dad said I should call women miss, because it's polite."

Maggie smiled and tapped her fingers on the table. "Do you call Lourdes 'miss'?" she asked pointedly.

Matt shook his head, only looking more confused. "No, because she's my friend."

"Well then," Maggie said, holding her hand out to Matt, "I'd really like it if you thought of me as a friend."

Matt smiled and shook Maggie's hand, just as Hal arrived with two trays, both holding a bowl of noodles, a slice of bread and a cup of water. He set one down in front of Maggie before sitting next to her with his own. Maggie picked up her fork and smiled as she stirred it through the steaming noodles.

"I'm more than capable of getting my own food y'know?" she said humorously. Hal smiled and twirled noodles around his fork, scooping them into his mouth.

"I know," he said, "but you looked busy getting acquainted with everyone." Hal winked at Matt, who smiled in response.

Hal and Maggie finished their dinner and stacked their dishes in the middle of the table with everyone else's. Hal stretched his arms above his head, groaning loudly. He hung his arm it across the back of Maggie's chair, playing idly with her hair again. Maggie smiled and picked up Hal's other hand, squeezing it gently.

"You okay? You look tired." Maggie tilted her head curiously to the side, drawing imaginary circles on the back of Hal's hand. Hal smiled, but Maggie could see the exhaustion he was trying to hide in his eyes.

"I'm fine, don't worry." Hal moved closer to Maggie, pulling her closer to his side and kissed her temple. Maggie smiled and patted his knee; she knew there was no point in hiding their relationship any more, Tom and Anne both already knew, and it didn't really make a difference anyway.

Hal and Maggie were oblivious to the conversations around them, wrapped up in their own little bubble. Hal smiled and continued playing with Maggie's hair, and Maggie shuffled her chair closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

Matt moved away from Ben, whom he had been talking to, to sit opposite Hal and Maggie. He leant across the table to whisper something into Hal's ear, Hal leaning forward to hear. He chuckled and ruffled Matt's hair before moving back in his chair. He pulled Maggie closer again; she was now practically sitting in his seat.

"Yeah, we are buddy." Hal smiled and looked down at Maggie, who quizzically returned his gaze. He bent down close to her ear, "he asked if we were dating," he whispered with a smile. Maggie chuckled and leaned away from Hal and onto the table, resting her head in her hand.

"Do you mind if I date your brother, Matt?" Maggie asked with a small smile.

Matt blushed and shook his head. "No; I'm really happy for you two." Maggie smiled and sat back against Hal again.

"Thanks buddy." Hal said seriously, he looked down at his watch and leaned close to Maggie again. "Do you wanna get out of here?" he asked quietly. Maggie moved her head off Hal's shoulder and nodded. Hal leaned across the table to Matt again, and Maggie waited patiently in her seat.

"We're gonna take off now buddy, but I'll find you tomorrow and we'll play some ball or do something else together, okay?" Hal pushed himself out of his seat and moved around the table to hug his younger brother. Matt smiled at Hal's promise and Maggie found herself unable to watch. She looked down at the ground, her mind momentarily flicking to her own brother. She was broken from her reverie when Hal placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. She stood quickly and pushed her hair back from her face.

Hal looked at her for a moment before tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly. Maggie nodded and forced a smile to her face.

They stood to leave, waving goodbye to everyone, and Tom stood with Anne to walk them out. They left the cafeteria and the noise died down with when the door closed behind them. Tom walked a little down the hall with Hal, muttering something about patrol timetables, leaving Anne and Maggie to stroll leisurely behind them. Maggie walked silently, letting her thoughts capture her attention.

Anne walked by her side and watched her curiously. "Is everything okay, Maggie?"

Maggie blinked and stopped walking for a second before falling back into step beside Anne. "I'm fine," she murmured, "just thinking."

Anne nodded and they turned into a new hallway, climbing a flight of stairs. "How are things going with Hal?" she asked conversationally. Maggie nodded and fiddled with the holster strapped around her hips, although she didn't have her guns, she had put it on out of habit.

"Good, I guess," Maggie answered hesitantly, "at least, I think it is. Hal's happy, and I'm happy, so it's nice." Anne smiled and adjusted the stethoscope hanging around her neck, her signature accessory.

They caught up with Hal and Tom, who were laughing in front of the door that led to the Mason family room. Tom wrapped an arm around Anne's waist and hugged her to his side, "Anne and I are gonna spend some time together before Matt and Ben come up," tom smiled sheepishly, "I'll see you later?"

Hal smiled and nodded, but groaned internally. He really wanted to change into some fresh clothes, but he took his dad's hint and decided to leave them alone. Tom and Anne said their goodbye's, and Tom shot his son a grateful look as he closed the door.

"So much for fresh clothes." Hal sighed, smiling at Maggie. She pushed her hair back and bit the inside of her cheek.

"You wanna come back to my room?" Maggie asked with a half-hearted smile. Hal smiled and nodded before rolling his eyes at Maggie.

"Why not?" he said humorously, "it seems I'm gonna be locked out of my room for a while." Hal stepped forward and held his elbow out, offering his arm to Maggie. She laughed before twisting her arm around his.

"Such a gentleman," Maggie mocked. She could feel Hal's shoulders shake as he chuckled quietly, as he escorted her to her room.

* * *

Maggie twisted the doorknob and pushed the thin door open with her foot, still attached to Hal's side. Hal looked in the dark room, trying to see in the poor light. It looked the same as he remembered; a small plain room with three beds, Anne's, Lourdes's and Maggie's. Maggie cautiously crossed the floor in the darkness, before switching on a lantern beside her bed.

Hal crossed the room and stood in front of the unobscured window, his hands stretched behind his head. Maggie tiptoed to his side, not making a sound, but Hal knew better and looked down at her, smiling. She smiled back before looking out the window with him. The sky was clear and crisp, not a cloud in sight. It was that brief moment between sunset and night, the sky a dark blue but with only a few speckled stars.

"So what do you want to do?" Hal asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "we could play go-fish?"

Maggie automatically responded by twisting her own arm around Hal's waist, and she was surprised with herself when she realised her actions. "Aren't you tired?" Maggie asked, exasperated, "when was the last time you got to bed at a decent time?"

Hal pursed his lips and shrugged his shoulders. "It's not a big deal," he muttered. Maggie burrowed closer, nuzzling into Hal's side, and he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Anne said I could be back out in the field in just a week," Maggie mused, "we'll be partners again." Hal's fingers paused in her hair for a moment before resuming their lazy movements.

"You sure that's a good idea? You could end up making it worse." Maggie rolled her eyes, even though Hal couldn't see.

"The sooner I'm out and about, the sooner I'll heal." Maggie said pointedly.

Hal chuckled and squeezed her shoulder. "Girls and their guns," he teased, "you're like a little kid who isn't allowed to play with their favourite toy."

Maggie spun to her left, standing in front of Hal with her back to the window. She stepped close, squeezing her arms around his neck and burying her head into his broad chest. Hal wound his large hands around her small waist and rested his chin on her head.

"Everything okay?" he asked quizzically for the second time that evening. Maggie managed to nod her head and Hal smiled. This was the first time she had taken an initiative approach to him. He traced his fingers down her back, applying a gentle pressure that soothed her, relaxing her muscles. Maggie sighed as Hal massaged her knotted muscles, loosening them one by one. She leaned back and traced her finger down his nose, tapping softly.

"You may not be tired, but recovering from an alien metal infused bullet wound really takes its toll on me." Hal raised an eyebrow but immediately pulled her toward her bed. Maggie flopped onto her bed and kicked her shoes off, sliding them neatly next to her bed. She sat cross legged on her bed and patted the space beside her invitingly.

"Am I staying the night?" Hal asked with a smile.

Maggie bent her legs and rested her head on her knees. "Please?" she asked quietly. Hal removed his jacket and shoes before sitting next to Maggie on the bed. The frame squeaked slightly under their weight, as Hal leant against the wall, stretching his legs out along the mattress. Maggie remained seated where she was, her head still on her knees, seeming to be lost in thought.

Hal watched her for a moment before bumping his knee gently against her back, bringing her back down to earth. She crawled up the bed towards him, lying back against his chest.

She rolled around so she was lying on her stomach instead, and wrinkled her nose. "You really need a shower!" she laughed.

"I need a shower?" Hal asked mockingly, "why bother when you smell like a bouquet of roses? Give me some slack, I haven't been able to change clothes since yesterday." Hal complained.

Maggie propped her head up on her hand and rolled her eyes again, something she seemed to be doing a lot tonight. Hal smiled and gently took Maggie's chin in his hand, cradling her face. He leaned forward and Maggie responded likewise until their lips pressed gently together.

They kissed softly for a while, their lips moving slowly in a synchronised rhythm. Maggie moved up more, so Hal didn't have to lean so far forward, as her face hovered above his. Hal scooted his body down, pulling Maggie with him as his head met her pillow, Maggie now lying on top of him.

He began to run his hands across her back, drawing soothing imaginary shapes as they kissed. Maggie responded happily by running her own hands down Hal's neck and shoulders, her fingertips dancing across his defined muscles. Hal smiled and kissed her eagerly, making Maggie giggle like a hopeless girl in love.

Hal's face turned serious again as he brought Maggie's head back down to his, gently nudging their lips together. He continued to run his hands down her back, his fingers tracing the bumps of her spine gingerly. His hand crept down her back slowly, tiptoeing to the bottom of her shirt. Maggie continued to kiss Hal, until she felt his large hands under her shirt, warm on the small of her back. She sighed quietly and kissed Hal one last time before gently pulling away.

Hal groaned and pulled his hands out from Maggie's shirt to hold her own. Maggie shook her head and bit her lip, her hands warmly encased by Hal's.

"Hal I…I'm sorry, I just-"

"Hey, hey shhh," Hal whispered soothingly, "It's okay. It's okay Maggie, don't worry." He rubbed Maggie's fingers gently, and she looked away, facing a point on the floor. "Hey," Hal said, trying to get her to look at him, "Maggie."

She chewed her lip and hesitantly looked up, her large brown eyes sad and guilty. Hal sat up, pulling Maggie into his embrace as he cradled her in his lap.

"I'm sorry Hal, I just…I just can't. Not yet."

Hal nodded and gently rocked her back and forth. "I know, it's okay," Hal soothed. He kissed the top of her head, rubbing soothing circles on her shoulders and back. "Is it because of what happened with Pope's crew?" Hal asked darkly.

Maggie could hear the restrained anger in Hal's voice, so she pulled her head back to look into his face. "There's nothing you could do to change what happened, Hal."

"I could kill Pope?" Hal asked with concealed malice. "I almost have on a few occasions."

Maggie shook her head, concerned. "Hal, what good would that do? It won't change anything. You'd only end up in unnecessary trouble."

Hal didn't respond and pinched the bridge of his nose angrily. Maggie waited a moment, watching Hal, before she pushed herself out of Hal's lap and off the bed, standing on the hard floor, slippery under her socks. She turned to leave, but only found herself sinking to the floor. Sitting with a sigh, her head rested on the side of the bed. It was a few minutes later when Hal stepped out of the bed and sat down beside Maggie.

He reached an arm out and was hurt when she pulled away, scooting away from his reach. "Maggie," he sighed sadly, reaching out again. She stood and tried to walk past him, but he jumped to his feet just as quick and firmly, yet gently, grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "Look Maggie, I'm sorry okay. I didn't mean it, seriously. It's just…every time I think about what those…_filthy, degenerate, psychopathic bastards _did to you, and everything they put you through, I…I can't stand the thought of any of them, walking on the face of this earth any longer."

Maggie met his gaze, her face slowly turning from a hard glare to a face of soft sympathy. She lifted a hand to cup his face gently, her thumb wiping away a single, stray, angry tear that glittered under Hal's eye. He pulled her close, almost crushing her to his chest. He felt his shirt sticking to his chest and pulled back to see Maggie silently crying, tears falling silently down her face.

He didn't say a word, just pulled her gently back to her bed, pulling her down onto the mattress with him. He silently tucked the blanket around her, hugging her to his chest as he curled protectively around her. Maggie buried her face in Hal's chest and wept noiselessly under she passed out from exhaustion, Hal whispering sweet nothings the whole time to her to calm her into sleep.

**Hi everyone :) I'm so, so, so sorry for the late update, I guess life just got in the way. I've been super busy and just started the recovery course from a very nasty flu! :(**

**I hope you like this chapter, even though nothing really happens, I made this chapter as a sort of space filler, to prop up the twist that you will see soon, beginning in the next chapter... ;)**

**don't forget to review if you like my story, it's great getting feedback from you all. thank you for taking the time to read my story, I hope you enjoy it :)**


	9. An Unwanted Welcome

**Disclaimer: I do not own Falling Skies, any of it's characters or any of the original plotlines.**

Hal gingerly stepped around a large tree, his head whipping from side to side. He surveyed the woods around him, his eyes catching every single movement. He heard a twig snap behind him and he spun around, only to see nothing. Fear tingled up his spine and he rolled his shoulders to loosen them. Hal ran through the mental checklist in his head again, he had a knife in his boot, two in his belt and another firmly held in his hand.

If it came to hand-to-hand combat, he was prepared. He heard a whisper of leaves and turned again; nothing. Hal gulped, a light sheen of sweat covering that back of his neck. His heart pounded hard against his ribcage, a loud 'thump thump'. He crept through the woods as silently as he could, while he kept all his senses on full alert for the prey he stalked.

He avoided the mounds of muddy leaves, tiptoeing on the soft dirt so as to make less noise. Hal slipped in a puddle of thick mud and slid down an embankment, crouching at the bottom as he scanned the quiet woods. He slowly stood and jumped in surprise when a bird dashed out of a tree.

Hal saw a flash of brown and black behind a nearby oak, and he grinned devilishly. He gripped the knife in his hand loosely and snuck forward stealthily, like a jungle cat. He took a deep breath after reaching the trunk, his hand drifting across the rough bark. He raised his knife and jumped around, only to see nothing once again.

His arms fell in disbelief as he growled under his breath. He was about to turn back when he felt the cool blade of a knife against his throat. He raised his knife in defence, but it was kicked out of his grip, the blade tumbling out of reach. He tried to spin around and fend off his attacker, only to grunt in pain when a cold hand grabbed his wrist firmly and pulled his arm behind his back.

Hal snarled angrily, struggling furiously. He was kicked in the back of his knee, sending him to the ground. Hal was forced to his knees, his arms pinned behind his back, the knife still at his throat. He struggled for a few seconds before sighing and kneeling still as a statue, admitting defeat.

The knife came away from his neck and was replaced with a pair of soft lips, kissing and playfully nipping at his skin. He heard a low chuckle as he was finally let go, turning to see a grinning Maggie.

"I win again," she taunted playfully. He picked up his knife, replacing it in his belt, before he turned to face her, grabbing her hips.

"How the hell do you do that?!" Hal asked, kissing her hungrily. She laughed and pulled away, wiggling her fingers at him.

"I guess I just have a light step, whereas you scrape your heels." Hal smiled and kissed her again, his hands circling around her waist. It was a week since Maggie had her stitches removed, and their argument that night in her room was long forgotten. Hal growled against her lips and pulled away.

"Again," he commanded.

Maggie raised a sceptical eyebrow, "is it a good idea to do this on a patrol? We're supposed to be _patrolling_?" Hal smiled teasingly.

"Aww c'mon Maggie, we've been at the hospital for weeks now without any signs of skitters. Besides, this is good practice for me. I WILL win at some point." He smiled, knowing she wouldn't deny his challenge. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Give me a minute head start." Hal grinned and closed his eyes.

"One…two…three…" he cracked open an eye to peek; Maggie was already gone. He counted in his head until he reached sixty seconds, before he set off. He tried a new tactic and found a large tree with low hanging branches, and started to scale the tree, pulling himself from one limb to another. Once high enough, he held around the trunk tightly and looked about. He saw nothing at first, but a few moments later he spotted her blonde hair as she jogged from tree to tree.

He climbed down and jumped the last few metres, landing on the balls of his feet. He set off towards her at a steady pace. He was mindful of where he stepped and made sure to pick up his heels. He removed his knife from his belt as he crept over the leaf littered landscape.

He saw her follow a trail, and he followed silently, slipping behind trees for cover. The trail led to the sunny space of a clearing, the trees making a small, almost neat circle around the edge. He watched Maggie as she pushed a bush out of her way to step in, hiding from Hal's sight again. He lurched through the bushes after her with a victorious grin. He looked around and stopped dead in his tracks, she was gone, **_again_**! He almost yelled in frustration, before he managed to stop himself. He walked to the middle of the clearing and slowly turned around, completing a full turn. She was gone.

He scratched his head, his knife still in his hand. The clearing was covered in thick, long green grass, damp from the morning dew. There were hundreds of wildflowers everywhere, orange, yellow and red ones poking up everywhere in the grass. Hal bent down to pick a flower, rolling it between his fingers. He stood and sniffed it, before letting it fall back down to the grass.

Hal heard a low growl and at the same time, felt Maggie jump onto his back. She locked her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist, growling like a savage animal. He stumbled and almost fell, but managed to stay standing. He sank to his knees and leaned back, sitting on the ground. He pushed back, lying in the grass and rolled around, trying to dislodge Maggie from his back.

She held on fiercely, her grip firm and strong. Hal stood again and decided to play dirty. He reached around with his arm and tickled her side. She gasped and squirmed slightly, but still held on. Hal reached out with his other hand and tickled both her sides, his fingers gently scratching her ribs. Maggie giggled and squealed.

"Hal!" she yelled, before she finally let go and fell in a heap to the ground. Hal turned quickly and wasted no time. He pinned her arms to her side and sat on her legs, just above her knee, without putting his full weight on her so as not to cause her any pain. She looked into his face, stunned, and Hal could only smile in response.

"I won!" he sang, pleased. He pushed a few loose strands of her hair from her face, and caressed her cheek softly. Maggie smiled sweetly back up at him, before twisting her head to the side and sinking her teeth into his hand.

"OW! Shit, Maggie!" Hal pulled away and jumped up, inspecting the small bite mark on the side of his hand. Maggie took the advantage and pushed Hal's chest, sending him sprawling backwards. She lunged up and now it was her turn to sit on his legs, pinning both his hands above his head. Hal lay under her, slightly winded. He had to admit, Maggie was good. She walked with the stealth of a cat but attacked with the speed of a cobra.

She bent down and kissed his neck teasingly, right under his jaw. He squirmed hopelessly, and Maggie retaliated by twisting his wrist slightly. Hal scowled up at her. "Damn Maggie, you play rough."

Maggie laughed, throwing her head back. "I said I'd fight, I never said I'd fight fair."

Hal pouted up at her, finally laying still. "Couldn't you let me win just once?" he complained.

Maggie frowned and tossed her head, flicking her hair back. "If I let you win, you won't learn," she reprimanded, "you're too cocky. You need to remember to kill your victim _before _you celebrate." Hal smiled up charmingly at her, and Maggie rolled her eyes, smiling back after a minute.

Hal shifted his legs slightly and huffed. "Maggie, as fun as this is, I can't feel my legs." Maggie grinned, but didn't get off like Hal expected. Instead, she shifted up, straddling Hal's waist. She bent down slowly and kissed him gently, running her lips teasingly over his. She moved her lips down his jaw and to his neck again, nipping his skin gently every now and then.

Hal squirmed under her, his hands still pinned over his head. "Maggie," he groaned, frowning slightly. She let go of his hands and his fingers immediately speared through her hair when she bent down to kiss him again. He rolled them over and now he was the one hovering over her. He attacked her lips feverishly, growling against her skin. He buried his face in her neck, kissing and sucking on her throat. Maggie moaned and turned her head to the side, giving him better access to her neck. She knew they should stop. One reason being they were on patrol, the other being that she still wasn't ready.

"Hal," Maggie whispered, trying to tell him to slow down. He mistook her intentions and began kissing her again, seeming as if he was trying to inhale her. Maggie moaned softly and tried to clear her clouded head. She closed her eyes tightly but Hal filled her senses. She could hear him, see him, smell him, feel him and taste him all at once. She turned her head again as he began to nibble gently on her earlobe and she felt warm, despite lying on the cold, damp grass.

Something caught her attention and for a second she was distracted from Hal, trying to see through the grass. She saw something that stood out, white against the vibrant green ground, long and dirty, laying still. Maggie gasped and pushed against Hal's chest, trying to get him to stop.

"Hal, there's someone here," she whispered urgently, pushing Hal more firmly. He stopped and blinked, his face turning serious.

"What do you mean? Where?" she gestured with her head and he looked over, his eyes widening. He pushed himself up and reached a hand down to help pull Maggie up. Hal pushed Maggie behind him as they walked over, making her tut in irritation.

"What are you doing?" she hissed under her breath, trying to stand next to Hal.

"We don't know who they are," he whispered, "they could be dangerous." Maggie huffed and forced herself past him. She stood beside the person before stumbling back, her hand over her mouth.

"It's a kid," she gasped. Hal stepped closer and crouched down. It was a little boy, no more than ten years old. His skin was pale and blue; no clothes covered his body, only mud and leaves. Hal's fingers covered the boy's neck for a second, but he didn't have much hope. His suspicions were confirmed when he pulled his fingers away.

"He's dead," he whispered. Maggie walked a few feet away, turning her back. Hal stood and rubbed his hands on his jeans.

"Hal," Maggie called, her voice shaking slightly, "Hal there's more." He stepped up behind her and found himself standing at a dump site of dead children. She pointed to a girl lying on her stomach, silver spikes protruding from her back.

"They're de-harnessed," she said softly. Hal nodded and rubbed his head.

"We have to check they're all dead," he said urgently before moving to the first kid. Maggie moved further down and started checking the kids further away, moving towards Hal.

Hal got through three kids before he heard Maggie calling him from a short distance away.

"Hal, over hear, she's alive." He rushed over to where Maggie was kneeling, trying to roll over a naked blonde girl. He grabbed her arm and helped push her around. As Hal cleared the leaves from her face, her eyes shot open, revealing intense blue irises. She latched onto Hal's arm and looked into his eyes, startled.

"Karen!?" he choked. Her eyes fluttered closed and her body fell back to the ground, her grip on his arms loosening. Hal noticed her fingers and toes were slowly turning blue, so he ripped off his jacket and wrapped it around her as best as he could. He picked her up and her head lolled against his chest, still unconscious.

Maggie gripped Hal's shoulder firmly, forcing him to stop. "Hal wait, she could still be connected to them. We need to think about this." Hal shrugged her hand off, confused.

"What are you talking about? She needs a doctor Maggie, she's barely breathing. Tell me you got my back?" he asked her desperately. Maggie hesitated before nodding. She would always have his back, they were partners. Hal turned to leave the meadow, jogging back towards the hospital. Maggie followed right behind Hal, her gun at the ready if anything should happen. They were a good fifteen minutes from the hospital but Hal held a steady pace, with no sign of stopping.

* * *

They reached the border where the sentries were posted, running past their confused expressions. Hal was starting to sweat from the effort of having to carry Karen, running her all the way to the hospital. Tom, Ben and a handful of fighters were loading a truck outside the hospital when they ran up. Tom glanced over concerned, and rushed in front of Hal when he saw the bundled heap in Hal's arms, blocking his way to the hospital.

"Hal wait a sec," he said, putting his hands out, "who's that?" Maggie noted Hal's heavy breathing and spoke for him.

"Karen. We found her and a bunch of other kids left de-harnessed and naked in the woods." Hal tried to step around his dad, but Tom mirrored his movements and blocked his path again.

"Hal, wait. Think about this. She _tortured _me on that ship; she could still be connected to them." Maggie watched Hal carefully for his reaction and wasn't surprised when he suddenly flared up in anger.

"Dad she's barely breathing! She needs a doctor, or she's gonna die. Her harness has been removed, she isn't a threat!" on his last statement, he shoved past Tom and jumped up the entrance steps, Karen curled in his arms. Tom cursed under his breath and paced in a short, tight line before turning to Maggie, who was still rooted to the spot.

Maggie raised her arms hopelessly and shook her head. "I tried to talk sense into him Tom, I don't know if it'll work, but I'll talk to him again."

Tom grimaced and scratched the back of his head. "If he's going to listen to anyone, it would be you."

Maggie nodded before trotting up the stairs, surprised for a moment when she heard Tom following her. She pushed open the door and looked around, but Hal was already out of sight. Maggie stood, thinking for a moment, tapping her thumbnail against her teeth, before heading down a hallway that led to an alignment of examination rooms.

Maggie opened the first door, which led only to an empty room. She tried the next door and she stumbled on a woman cleaning a cut on a man's forearm. She mumbled an apology before backing out and opening the third door. She peeked inside before pushing the door fully open, and stepping inside.

Karen was laid out on an examination table, still unconscious, while Anne bustled about her, wiping away the dirt and prodding her limbs gently, checking for injuries. Maggie's eyes scoped the room and Anne noticed her searching, when she looked over her shoulder.

"Hal just went to find her some clothes," Anne explained. Maggie stepped closer as Tom walked in, Ben right behind him. Anne's face turned stern as she placed her hands purposely on her hips. "Is this intrusion necessary?" she asked, exasperated.

Tom stepped forward, crossing the small room in just one large step as he grabbed Anne's shoulders gently and stared into her eyes. "It's Karen, she tortured me on the ship, remember? She isn't safe; we need to get her out of here."

Anne looked confused from Tom to Karen and back again. "She's de-harnessed, she's normal now Tom. She was being controlled by the aliens when she was on the ship."

Ben, who up to now had been silent, stepped forward. "No, she's still connected to them. We need to get her out of here." Tom turned to look at Ben, still holding onto Anne's shoulders.

"How do you know?" he asked suspiciously. Ben hesitated and chewed his lip.

"I can hear her," he whispered. Tom looked back to Anne and raised his eyebrows questioningly.

Anne's gaze flickered sympathetically back to Karen. "Why don't we keep her in the psych ward until Weaver comes to a decision?"

Hal walked in at that moment, holding a small pile of folded clothes. He froze at the sight of everyone in the room, the tension thick in the air. His eyes darted from Karen to his dad as he put the clothes on a table. "What's going on?" he asked warily. Tom let go of Anne and stepped closer to Hal.

"Ben says Karen is still attached to the overlords," Tom explained carefully," we need to think seriously about this Hal; she could be a huge threat to us."

Hal looked at his brother, hurt, before standing next to Karen's table. "Her harness has been removed," he said firmly, "there's no threat anymore."

Tom shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably, a silent answer to Hal's statement. His eyes drifted around the room, looking at every single person. "Please," he whispered quietly, helplessly. His eyes locked with Maggie's, who was silently standing in a corner of the room. He pleaded silently with her, his eyes begging her for help.

Maggie hesitated before slowly walking forward, the whole room silent. Hal's face turned confused when she stood in front of him, and not by his side, holding her hands out calmly.

"Hal, calm down. We don't know everything about how the aliens work, maybe she really is still connected? Alright, I know how much she means to you, but we need to think of the safety of the second mass." She whispered quietly to him, stepping closer. "We'll put her in the psych ward, she'll be more secure there, and we can all wait for Weaver to make a decision after that."

Hal hesitated, his eyes dancing around the room once more, before he nodded stiffly. Everyone relaxed a little, but there was still a tangible tension in the air. Tom whispered a few private words to Anne, giving her a quick kiss before leaving with Ben. Anne went back to checking over Karen, cleaning the last of the mud from her skin. She picked up the clothes Hal had found, a black singlet and a pair of faded jeans. She began to carefully slip them on, pulling her arms through the shirt first.

Hal shot Karen a quick look before gently pulling Maggie to the other side of the small room. He hugged her firmly and Maggie sighed after moment, before gently hugging him back.

"Thanks for believing me, Maggie. I knew you'd understand." Maggie shifted uncomfortably against Hal, stepping back slightly.

"Hal, I think you need to think seriously about this. We found her barely two miles from the hospital, with a group of dead kids. What are the odds that only one person would still be alive? I think those odds are even more unlikely, considering that person was Karen. _Karen_, Hal, what are the odds? Out of everyone it could have been, we found her. The Hal I know would think longer about this situation, and I'm sure you still would, if it was anyone other than her."

Hal looked over at Karen, who although still unconscious, was now dressed, before back to Maggie. He stepped closer, bending his head down to look into her eyes.

"Her harness has been _removed, _Maggie. We found her minutes from death. I'm not denying that it's not strange, but we still need to help her. We can question her when she wakes up, and until then, I'm going to make sure nothing happens to her."

Maggie's face softened and she lifted her hand to gently cup Hal's face. "I know you care about her, just promise you'll be careful?" she whispered.

Hal's eyes widened slightly, before he flashed her a small smile. "Even though she's back, nothing's going to change between us," he whispered, placing his hand over hers, where it still rested on his cheek. Maggie was surprised when she felt relief flow through her, although she was careful to hide it.

"I know," she replied, returning his smile. Hal bent his head and kissed her softly. Maggie closed her eyes, savouring the feeling. He pulled back and looked at Karen again.

"I'm gonna make sure she gets to the psych ward safely," he said quietly, "I'll meet you later?"

Maggie bit her lip, her gaze flickering from Karen to Hal. She nodded her head before giving him another quick kiss. She left the room, looking back only once to see Hal and Anne talking quietly as they prepared to move Karen to the other room. Maggie left without another word, wandering the empty halls.

* * *

Hal straightened the sheets across Karen, tucking the thin material loosely around her. He looked around the room and sighed. It was small, containing only a small bed, a chair and a small set of drawers. The one small window was covered with a set of steel bars, on the inside and outside. The door remained locked, and Tom had ordered a guard to be posted outside at all times. It was an unwelcome sight, but better than dumping her in the woods. He looked over at Karen again, she was still unconscious, but she looked the same as the day Hal watched Ben drag her away, all those months ago. He worried about what would happen when she woke up. Would she still remember anything about the aliens? Would she really be normal? Would she still love him?

Hal sat down in the only chair and waited patiently. Ten minutes passed and Hal slumped drowsily in his chair. He snapped to attention when the door swung open, revealing Anne.

"Is she awake yet?" she asked hopefully. Hal shook his head, frowning slightly.

"How long until she wakes up? She's been asleep for ages."

Anne stepped into the room and stood beside Hal's chair, looking at Karen carefully. "When you found her, she was really close to death, Hal. She's only been asleep for a few hours, you just have to give her body time to recover and rest." Hal nodded glumly, accepting her statement without complaint.

They stood silently for a few more minutes, and both turned when the door opened again, this time introducing Tom. He wordlessly stood beside Anne and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I take it there hasn't been any change? Weaver wants to be alerted the second she wakes up, so she can be questioned," he said bluntly, with no emotion. Anne bobbed her head slowly, understanding the possible risks if Karen was still connected to the overlords. Hal decided to say nothing and silently kept his eyes on Karen, feeling anger slowly boil up inside himself.

Tom glanced at his son and sighed when he didn't meet his gaze. "I'm sorry Hal, we have no choice," he whispered before leaving again. Anne closed the door behind him and walked back to Hal.

"I know you think it's cruel," she said, "but they have a point Hal. She could be a liability." Hal nodded curtly once, before pulling his chair closer to Karen.

"She was harnessed for so long," he whispered, "what if she doesn't remember anything?" Anne smiled sadly, leaning against one of the smooth walls.

"Then she won't be able to tell us anything," she said simply. The door clicked open again, and Maggie entered, standing by Hal's side.

"Has there been any-"

"Change?" Hal interrupted her. "No, she's still unconscious." Maggie reached out and gently squeezed Hal's shoulder, silently reassuring him.

Maggie watched Karen silently before sighing under her breath. "Hal maybe you should-"

"Shhh!" Hal interrupted again. "Look, she's waking!" He leapt out of his chair to kneel beside the bed, fingers gripping the mattress tightly. Karen's eyelids fluttered, and a small moan escaped her pale lips. Her eyes slowly opened, her intense blue eyes jumping erratically around the room, before locking sight with Hal's.

"Karen, you're okay, you're safe now," Hal soothed softly.

Karen pushed herself up so she was sitting up in bed, her arms wobbling slightly as she tried to support herself. She blinked a few times before squinting up at the young man in front of her.

"Hal?" she asked softly. Her eyes widened and a smile of relief split across her face. "Oh my god, Hal, it's really you!" she threw herself forward, locking her arms tightly around his neck, as she began softly sobbing.

Hal rubbed her back gently, holding her tight. "It's okay Karen, you're here with us, safe and sound."

* * *

**A/N: Hey everyone, I hope you enjoy this chapter :-)**

**I'm sorry it took so long to get up, I know I was really late this time .-. to be honest, it's been finished for a while, but I had no internet connection to get it up. Life's also been busy with exams, moving out in and into a new temporary home, and all the other things that life likes to throw at people.**

**Please read and review, have fun, and thank you to all those people who still read this story, even though I can't keep a deadline ;) you're all so amazing x**


	10. The Heartbreak of Drunken Dangers

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original characters or plot lines from Falling Skies.**

Karen pulled away from Hal, with tears streaming down her face. "The…the things they m-made me do," she stuttered, "so many t-terrible things!" Hal pushed her hair back from her face where it was sticking to her skin.

"Karen," he soothed, "its okay, calm down. That's it, breathe. Now, what do you remember?"

Karen took a few deep breaths and sat up properly, sitting cross legged in bed. "Every…so many….I remember everything Hal." She began rocking back and forth slowly, and her messy hair gave her a psychotic look. Maggie reflexively placed a hand on the butt of her gun, ready to whip it out if the smallest threat appeared.

Hal placed a hand on her shoulder and slowly sat beside her on the bed. He pulled her to his side and gently stroked her hair, making constant soothing noises. Maggie remembered when Hal did the same thing to her, when she cried. She grimaced as she felt a dull tugging sensation in her chest, which she tried to ignore.

Karen lifted her head, sniffling. "Dr Glass? Margaret? Oh I'm really back! I missed you all so much." she clung wildly to Hal's arm, like a frightened kitten. "How did I get here? What happened?"

Hal pushed her back a bit, looking into her eyes. "We found you and a bunch of other kids, de-harnessed in the woods, close to death. Karen, why do you think they left you out there?"

Karen absently ran her hand across her abdomen, pulling the blankets tighter around herself. "My only guess," she whispered, "could be that I had served my purpose."

Maggie shifted uncomfortably; she had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Someone should go get Captain Weaver, and Tom," She stated suddenly. Anne nodded, life suddenly jumping into her.

"Of course! I'll go right now." She left, leaving Hal and Maggie alone with Karen. Maggie stepped a little closer to the bed, her hand still on her gun. Karen noticed the small movement and then looked at the bars on the window. "Hal," she asked slowly, cautiously, "why am I in here?"

He hesitated, not wanting to frighten her any more. "You have to stay in this room for a while, just to make sure you're safe," he said finally.

"To make sure I'm not a threat," Karen corrected him. Hal was about to defend her, but she raised her hand to stop him. "It's okay, I understand. I don't want anyone to get hurt," she mumbled absently.

Hal bit his lip, looking torn. "The fact that you don't want anything to happen and you understand about having to be in here proves to me that you really are Karen." Karen smiled and squeezed his hand, looking relieved.

Maggie shifted slightly, still very uncomfortable. "She could be lying; for all we know, she's still the alien's lapdog."

Hal looked up shocked and stood off the bed. "Maggie! How could you say that! We don't know anything yet, and I believe she's fine." Karen started crying quietly, sniffling as she flinched back, away from Maggie. Hal sat back down and pulled her to him again, rocking her soothingly. Maggie scoffed, feeling furious for reasons she couldn't explain.

"Can't you see? She's faking it Hal, she's playing with your mind." Hal stared at Karen, refusing to look at Maggie.

"I think you should leave," he said bluntly. Maggie stood for a moment, stunned.

"Fine. I'll talk to you later," she whispered, before leaving. Karen sniffled, pulling away to look at Hal. She wiped her eyes and attempted a half hearted smile.

"Something tells me she doesn't like me very much." Hal looked at the closed door regretfully.

"It's not her fault; she just finds it hard to trust people sometimes. After everything she's been through, you can't blame her."

Karen burrowed closer, curling into Hal's chest. "I'm just glad to be back here, back with you." Her hand snuck up his chest, wrapping around the back of his neck. Hal coughed awkwardly and gently removed her hand.

"Listen, a lot has changed in the past months…what do you remember about us? Do you remember anything from before you were harnessed?"

Karen looked confused. "I do remember bits and pieces, not every little detail, but I remember how much I love you." She pulled herself closer but Hal cautiously moved back, now sitting on the other side of the bed as he tried to keep some space between them.

"Okay, Karen, you need to understand that you were gone for such a long time, and I had no Idea if I would ever see you again. I swear, I loved you too, but I've moved on."

Karen stood, her bare feet pale on the cold floor. "R-really? Um, wow. Who?"She crossed her arms and began pacing nervously. Hal sighed and balanced his elbows on his knees.

"Maggie. We've been partnered together since you were taken. Karen, I loved you, I really did, and I still care very much about you, but what I feel with Maggie is so strong and powerful. She's my best friend." Karen stopped pacing and leant against the wall, rubbing her temples.

"It's not like I'm surprised, nobody can wait forever. I'm…happy for you both. I'm just glad we can end on good terms and still be friends."

Hal smiled, standing off the bed and in front of Karen. "Thank you. And it's not like you won't see me every day. I'll be around, I still care about you. You'll always be close friend of mine."

Karen tried to smile, but Hal noticed her lip start to quiver. "I know there's nothing I can do," she said as she hugged Hal, "but I'm going to miss you, Hal."

He rubbed her back gently and pushed the hair out of her face. "I know, I'm gonna miss you too. I'm sorry." She moved forward and stood in the centre of the room, opening her arms wide.

"Can I at least have a goodbye kiss? On the cheek?" she added when he gave her a look. She pouted, and Hal sighed. He hugged her and bent to kiss her gently on the cheek, but Karen turned her head at the last second, forcing her lips to his. Hal tried to pull away but Karen held his head in place, her hand tangling into his hair. He struggled feebly for a few seconds before giving up, standing still and unresponsive.

She was stronger than him. Hal pushed the thought of her strength aside, thinking it was just a side effect of the harness, like Ben and his increasing strength and stamina.

Karen continued to kiss Hal's unmoving lips for a few more seconds before breaking away, and releasing his head. She blushed slightly and lowered her head. "I…sorry. I just wanted to say goodbye," she whispered. Hal nodded curtly, still recovering from her surprise attack.

"Its fine, I know it wasn't fair to have everything be so different all of a sudden." She smiled a little, and sat back down on her bed. Hal checked his watch, raising his eyebrows at the time.

"Dinner will be served soon," he muttered to himself. He looked through the small pane of glass in the door, observing the quite hallway outside the room. "Someone will be here soon to bring you some food; they will probably bring some books or something as well."

Karen looked disappointed as she sighed, "you're leaving?" Hal nodded and ran his hand through his hair, scratching the side of his jaw, feeling the prickle of stubble.

"I gotta go find Maggie and talk to her, but I promise, I'll come visit you again later." She smiled at his words and curled up slightly on the mattress.

"Bye," she said as he left, closing the door. Hal wanted to find Maggie and sort everything out. He hated fighting with her, and as much as he hated to admit it, she was probably right. She normally was in these situations. He groaned at having the task of hunting her down, if Maggie didn't want to be found, it was almost impossible to track her whereabouts. He started off towards the most obvious place, her room, without any idea of where she actually was. Hal never would have guessed that she was on the other side of the hospital, hiding out in the area that was the seedy underbelly of the Second Mass, seeking refuge in the room of the notorious John Pope.

* * *

Maggie had managed to prowl half the distance back to her room before turning around with a sigh. She hated fighting with Hal. Every relationship she had ever had ended this way. Something she didn't like would happen, her head would explode and she'd walk out. Maggie didn't want to walk out on Hal; she wasn't going to walk out on Hal. Maggie wanted this to work, more than anything she had ever been a part of. She slowly made her way back to Karen's room, manoeuvring through the quiet halls.

She was about to open the door when something through the small window caught her eye. Hal was standing in the centre of the room and a pale hand was resting on the back of his head. He turned to the side slightly and Maggie stepped back, her hand flying to her mouth. A small noise escaped her lips as she watched Hal and Karen kiss, right in the middle of the room.

Karen's eyes popped open, looking straight at Maggie through the window. Maggie automatically froze, unable to move an inch. Karen continued to stare at her while she continued kissing Hal. Maggie stepped back before turning and briskly walking away. She felt the hot sting of tears, burning her eyes as she fought the urge to cry. She rushed through the hospital aimlessly, looking for a place where she could be alone. She couldn't go back to her own room, because Anne was there, taking a nap during her short break.

She turned corners and stepped through doorways, paying no attention to where she was going. She passed people who looked at her, concerned, ignoring their curious gazes. She turned a corner sharply, her vision blurred, and slammed into someone walking in the opposite direction.

"Whoa," they exclaimed, grabbing Maggie's forearms to steady her. She looked up to mutter an apology and was surprised to see Pope. Her surprise got the best of her, as she automatically jerked back and out of his grasp.

"What are you doing up here? Shouldn't you be down in your hole with your gang of degenerates?" Pope made a mock face of hurt and placed a hand dramatically on his chest.

"Just because I choose to live away from the company of the Mason lovers, doesn't mean I'm not allergic to the Sun." he looked her up and down before frowning slightly, "no offence Maggie May, but you look like hell. What is it? Trouble in paradise?"

Maggie ignored his remark, but could tell by his face that he was serious. A single tear snuck past her defences and trickled slowly down her face. She wiped it away furiously, and stuck her hands in her pockets. "I don't want to talk about it," she muttered, staring at her boots. Pope narrowed his eyes in thought, before gently grabbing her arm and leading her down a dark hallway. She didn't fight him, just followed numbly. She didn't feel anything anymore, just pain. Hal had promised that he would never hurt her, but the second she turned her back, he did.

Pope led her down stairways, further away from the light of the Second Mass, towards the basement of the hospital. He stopped her in front of a dark door. It was made of thick wood and loud voices could be heard on the side. Pope thumped on the door a few times before a panel in the door slid open, revealing a pair of shady eyes. The panel immediately shut again and the door swung open. The smell of smoke, sweat, dirt and alcohol hit Maggie like a wall, and she fought the urge to gag. Pope nudged her forward into the basement, guiding her to a makeshift bar.

"Welcome to the Nest!" he proclaimed over the overlapping voices. "One day, when all this alien shit is sorted, I'm gonna open a bar with that name." Maggie followed silently, timid and on the defence as she manoeuvred past loud and drunken bikers. Pope pushed her down into a chair at the bar, which was really just a row of tables pushed together. "I brought you here to help you with the recovery and recuperation," he said, before knocking on the counter. "Earl, I need two R and R's," he yelled over the noise. A large man with bulging muscles and several tattoos poured two drinks and passed them over. Pope nodded in thanks and passed one to Maggie, who swirled the alcohol thoughtfully.

"Getting drunk with you in this hole is the last thing I thought I would be doing today," she said numbly; she felt no emotion.

Pope tipped his glass for a toast, and smirked at her. "Tonight's on the house."

Maggie didn't think, she couldn't feel anything. She tapped her glass against Pope's and gulped it down in one swig. Whiskey, she recognised the taste. He tapped the bench for a refill, and the man came over with a large, full bottle. He filled their glasses again and left the bottle beside them at Pope's command. They drank their second glass and Maggie looked around while Pope filled up their third glass.

"So, this little haven was made by your hand?" she asked curiously. Pope nodded as he passed her glass back and they slammed down their third drink.

"With the help of my fellow berserkers, I'm the mayor of this fine foundation, you could say." They poured their fourth glass. The bottle, which was originally new, was now three quarters full. As Maggie drank her fourth glass, she felt her head begin to swim as her inhibitions deserted her.

Pope sat back in his chair, stretching his hands behind his head. "So, you gonna tell me what was bad enough to send you fleeing in tears?"

Maggie ran her finger around the rim of her glass, and tilted her head in suspicion. "Why do you want to know, Pope? To get some sick thrill knowing that I'm not made of stone?"

Pope raised his hands in defence, sitting forward, "hey I'm just asking, feel free to not answer."

Maggie swallowed her fifth glass. "It's no big deal," she muttered. Pope poured a sixth glass, and was beginning to slur his words.

"See, thatsh where you're wrong, Maggie Mays. In the whole time I've known you, thish is the second time I've seen you upset to the point of tearsh."

Maggie raised an eyebrow, swaying in her chair slightly. "I think you've had enough," she hiccoughed, reaching for his glass. She pitched forward in her chair, and would've fallen if not for Pope's quick reflexes. He caught her and pushed her back into her chair as she burst into a fit of hysterical giggles. Pope poured another drink, but missed the glass and spilt most of the whiskey on the counter.

Maggie had stopped laughing. Her throat burned and her head was swimming. She couldn't think, she couldn't feel anything. Pope passed her glass back, but it was only half full. She swallowed the alcohol and pushed her glass back on the bar.

A man with bulging muscles, speckled with tattoos, a mop of greasy hair and a terrible odour approached Maggie from behind and leant on the back of her chair.

"Hey doll face," he leered close to her ear, "how 'bout you and I ditch scrawny here, and go get freaky out back, huh?"

Pope didn't move, but gave the man a hard look. "I'd step away if I were you, unless you want a broken arm."

The stranger sneered down at Pope, "You think you can take me on?"

Pope shrugged his shoulders, "I probably could, but I was talking about her."

Maggie silently watched their interactions, finishing another glass of whiskey. The bottle was now half empty, but she didn't care. The man smirked at Maggie and caressed her cheek. "She doesn't look like she'll bite."

He turned around, his back to Pope, and looked her up and down slowly. "So, you coming?" Maggie blinked a few times, her mind scattered of conscious thought. She smiled and stood from her chair, her legs wobbling slightly. The man threw an arm around her shoulders and grinned at Pope. "Seems the lady thinks otherwise."

Pope said nothing, but reached out for Maggie's arm. He grabbed her wrist gently and tugged her around to face him better, making her stumble slightly. "You sure you know what you're doing? Don't forget that you just slammed down a quarter of a bottle of whiskey, and I don't think pretty boy would be too happy about this."

Maggie blinked slowly, her eyelids felt incredibly heavy. "He doeshn't care abou' me," she slurred. Pope raised an eyebrow and slouched back in his chair.

"I'm no' gonna tell you to shtop, I'm jusht reminding you that you're really drunk, and I know sober Maggie wouldn't be sho quick to hook up with random pigs."

She looked up at the man that was beside her before smirking back at Pope. "He'sh better looking dan you."

The man smiled down at Maggie and pulled her away. "Let's leave baby, it isn't any fun in here." Maggie grinned and allowed herself to be led through the swarm of filthy guys, and out a back door.

Pope grimaced and screwed the lid back onto the bottle of whiskey. "Someone's gonna end up dead by the morning," he muttered to himself. He settled deeper into his chair and prepared to wait for Maggie to resurface.

* * *

The man nudged Maggie up a steep flight of stairs, which took them to an alleyway behind the hospital. The door creaked shut behind them as he spun around and pushed her up against the wall. He ran his hands across her shoulders, pushing her leather jacket off. His hands fell down to her black jeans, where he worked to undo the single button.

Maggie's brain clicked as it began to whir back into action. She pushed firmly on the man's chest and made him stumble backwards. He looked at her, his face turning to one of confusion. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked, grabbing her wrist. Maggie twisted her hand back and out of his reach.

"Get away from me, jerk," she warned. The man stepped forward again and growled in anger, grabbing her throat. Maggie's eyes flashed and she shoved her elbow into the man's face. Blood poured from his nose as he grunted in pain. He released her neck and Maggie brought her knee up firmly between his legs. He crumpled to the ground, groaning as blood trickled down his face.

"You…you're crazy bitch!" he spat at her. Maggie calmly bent and picked up her jacket, shaking it off before she put it back on. She bent down next to the man, not too close, and glared at him.

"Touch me again bastard, and you'll lose an eye." She stood, leaving him lying on the floor, and went back through the door, down the stairs and back to the basement.

She stumbled her way through the crowded room and made her way back to where she was sitting not long ago. Pope was still there and he smirked as she wobbled closer. He looked at his bare wrist as if he were wearing a watch, and raised an eyebrow.

"Sheven an' a half minutesh, Maggie May. I'm gueshing you left him bleeding in an alley shomewhere? Or did you jusht dump hish body in the nearesht lake?"

Maggie sat back in her chair and plopped her head in her hands, leaning against the counter. Pope chuckled and tapped his fingers on the wood beside her elbow. "Headache?"

Maggie rubbed her temples and mumbled an incoherent response. Pope tucked the whiskey bottle inside his jacket and gently tugged on her elbow, making her stand. "C'mon Maggs, let's get you home." She stumbled slightly, and Pope gripped her arm as they walked to help hold her up.

They both staggered drunkenly through hallways, empty from civilians, as it was hours past curfew. Maggie stopped in front of her room and Pope let her go, when he was assured she wasn't going to fall. He reached into his jacket and passed her the half empty bottle of whiskey.

"I wouldn't recommend any more drinking for tonight, but hold onto thish for next time." Maggie took the bottle gingerly and looked up at Pope.

"Thank you," she whispered. Pope nodded his head and scratched his small beard.

"You should get shome shleep," he muttered. "You're gonna feel like crap in da morning."

Maggie nodded, her eyes burning. "Thanks for the warning," she mumbled. Pope nodded once more, and then left without another word. Maggie watched as he turned a corner, and as soon as he was out of sight, she opened the door a crack. She stuck her head silently inside and was relieved to find an empty room.

Maggie stumbled blindly into the dark bedroom, the whiskey sloshing in the bottle held tight in her grasp.

* * *

Hal wandered the halls, completely lost. He'd been to Maggie's room, the cafeteria, the infirmary, the shooting range and anywhere else she could have possible been. He drifted down an empty hallway and checked his watch. It was late and he had missed dinner trying to find Maggie. His boots thumped solidly on the floor with each step he took. A door opened further down the hall and Hal was surprised when he saw his dad step out. Tom spotted Hal and briskly walked over, his rifle swinging behind his back.

"Never see you without that thing," Hal joked lightly. Tom smiled and clapped his son on the shoulder.

"What are you still doing wandering the halls? I figured you would be holed up in a room somewhere." Tom asked.

Hal shook his head and rubbed one of his eyes. "I've been looking everywhere for Maggie for hours now. You haven't seen her have you?"

Tom raised an eyebrow and walked by Hal's side. "I figured she'd be with you. You guys have been inseparable lately." Hal started to protest, but Tom held out a hand. "Hal, you haven't slept in your own bed for weeks now."

Hal grimaced and wrung his hands. "Yeah, sorry about that. I promise I'll start spending more time with the family."

Tom smiled, "good. But don't feel bad about it. I'm glad you have Maggie, you've really needed a…distraction from everything."

Hal blushed lightly, making his dad chuckle. Tom sighed and cracked his knuckles."It's late," he yawned, "I'm off to bed. Try to get some sleep Hal, if Maggie wants to be found, she'll be nearby."

Hal nodded and ruffled his hair. "Yeah, I'll find her tomorrow. Night dad." Tom smiled and turned around to walk in the opposite direction. Hal sighed, giving up for the night.

He made his way back to his room to sleep, his brother Matt already snoring quietly in bed. He kicked off his boots and stretched out over the blanket, but he didn't feel comfortable without Maggie by his side. He had so quickly become accustomed to her company that without it, he felt lonely. Despite the late hour, Hal knew he wasn't going to sleep easily.

* * *

Maggie heard the door to her room creak open and she could see the soft glow from the candles in the hallway wash over the wall. She had her back to the door, but she could tell that it was only Anne, arriving late in the night after tending to the last of the current patients. Maggie was in her bed, wrapped up in a thin blanket. She heard Anne cross the floor to stand a few feet from her bed.

"Maggie, are you awake?" Anne asked in a hushed voice. Maggie bit her tongue and said nothing, hoping that Anne would fall for her false slumber. Maggie listened as Anne undressed in the dark and sank into her own bed. She waited for a while until she was certain the steady breathing of Anne signalled that she had fallen asleep.

Maggie sniffled, allowing her tears to continue their steady flow. She had never thought it was possible to cry so much. She lifted the bottle to her lips and drank deeply. Maggie nearly jumped out of her bed when Anne turned a torch on, right at the foot of her bed.

"Anne! What are you doing?" Maggie yelped, surprised, as she quickly shoved the bottle under her blankets.

"I heard you crying. I was worried because you and Hal weren't at dinner". Maggie usually sat at a large table with Hal, Anne, Tom, Ben, Matt, Dai, Lourdes and Sarah.

"Hal wasn't at dinner?" Maggie asked casually.

"No, but if you haven't seen him, he's been looking for you for hours."

"Really?" Maggie drawled, chuckling bitterly "Can't imagine he'd spend that long looking for me."

"I saw Hal at the shooting range, he said he was looking everywhere for you," Anne explained. She lit a few candles around the room before turning the torch off.

"What were you doing at the shooting range?" Maggie asked, momentarily distracted as she watched the eerie shadows dance across the wall.

"The lessons you gave me were good, but I still need a lot of practice," Anne replied with a smile. Maggie tried to smile but could only manage a half-hearted grimace. Anne sighed before moving to sit on the end of Maggie's bed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Anne asked kindly. Maggie looked up at her, pretending to be confused.

"Talk about what, Anne?" Anne gave her a very stern, pointed look. Maggie sighed and shook her head as she curled her legs up, the hidden bottle cool against her skin under the blanket.

"Well, you know you can always talk to me about anything, okay?" Maggie nodded her head, avoiding Anne's gaze as she leaned in to hug Maggie. Maggie tilted away slightly, holding her breath. After only a second, Anne pulled back to look Maggie in the face with a confused look in her eyes.

"Maggie have you…" Anne began, then stopped and sniffed gingerly. "Oh my goodness, Maggie! Have you been drinking?!"

Maggie's eyes flashed. "No, I have not!" she hissed. "Why don't you just mind your own business, Anne!" Maggie's gaze flickered down to the bulge under her sheets. Anne's eyes followed and before Maggie could react, Anne reached under to pull out a bottle of whiskey, three quarters of the bottle gone.

"Oh Maggie. Why? Why would you do this?" Anne looked closely at Maggie's face, "god, your eyes are bloodshot! I thought it was from the crying, but it's from the drinking isn't it?" Maggie closed her eyes, as she began softly crying again. Anne sighed. She walked across the room and dropped the bottle into a small waste bin.

She walked back to the bed where Maggie lay silently weeping. She stretched out on the bed and gently pulled Maggie's head into her lap. Anne could feel Maggie's tears stain the soft cotton pants she slept in, as she soothingly stroked Maggie's hair out of her tear sodden face. After about fifteen minutes Maggie eventually stopped crying, but Anne continued to run her long fingers gently through her blonde hair.

"I don't know what to do," Maggie sighed, muffled against Anne's leg.

"Well, I don't know what happened between you two," Anne replied, tucking a golden lock behind Maggie's ear. "But I'm sure whatever it is, you can work it out together. It's not a known secret how much you care about each other?"

"What if he broke a promise and did something I never thought he would do."

"I don't know what he did Maggie, but if you think you can forgive him, then do. I suggest you sleep on it, find him tomorrow, sit down and talk about it. Straighten this situation out." Maggie sighed, exhausted.

"You're not in any trouble, are you? You're not pregnant or anything?" Anne blurted suddenly. Maggie froze before chuckling awkwardly, despite her current state, "no, I'm not in any trouble Anne, and I'm definitely NOT pregnant."

"Okay." Anne smiled. Maggie's eyelids drooped and she yawned for what seemed like a year. "Wait here a moment," Anne said quietly. She slipped out of their room and Maggie closed her sore eyes. She opened them again when she heard Anne walk in, closing the door behind her. She was holding a small silver bowl and a fluffy cloth. "Sit up," she gently commanded. Maggie, too tired to object, did as she was told and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

Anne dipped the cloth into the bowl, which was filled with warm water, and gently washed Maggie. Anne wiped down Maggie's arms, and gently dabbed her face and when Maggie was clean and fresh, Anne passed her a flask of water. Maggie drank deeply, emptying the flask, despite the burning feeling the water caused running down her raw throat. Anne took the flask away before laying Maggie down on her bed. Maggie's eyes fluttered as she tried to keep them open. She was exhausted, and drunk, and it took all of her effort to remain conscious. Anne straitened the blanket before tenderly tucking it around Maggie's slim frame. After checking Maggie wasn't in danger of falling out of her bed Anne blew the candles out before she returned to her own, exhausted from her endless job of being the second mass's doctor.

Anne was starting to drift off when Maggie's voice popped the silence. "Thanks Anne." Her words were slurred, but sincere.

Anne smiled in the darkness, "anytime Maggie, but if I catch you drinking like that again, I'll kick your sorry ass back to Boston." Maggie chuckled quietly at the out-of-character threat from Anne, knowing she was serious, but still joking. Anne lay in the heavy silence, Maggie breathing deeply in a matter of seconds. She felt content when she knew Maggie was sleeping, helping her ease into her own blissful sleep.

* * *

Maggie woke late the next morning. She groaned groggily as the sunlight streamed through the open window, blinding her. She sat up in bed and gasped as the blood rushed to her head, making it throb. She felt the workings of a big headache forming in the back of her skull. "Great," she muttered to herself. Maggie knew she was severely hung-over. She looked over to Anne's bed, which was empty. Maggie reached for her watch on the small chest next to her bed and found a note, written in Anne's neat writing.

_Maggie,_

_I left you some aspirin for the headache I'm sure you have. If you feel unwell at any point, come find me and I will give you more pills. I suggest you wait until you feel better before going to talk to Hal, and you should probably leave the part about getting drunk out._

_ Anne._

Maggie took the two small pills that were next to the note and swallowed them with the glass of water Anne also left. She slowly managed to get herself out of bed before getting dressed, even slower. Maggie moved sluggishly down the hallways. She made her way slowly to the kitchen, even though she doubted she would be able to keep anything down. Her stomach flipped sickeningly at just the thought of food. As Maggie neared the staircase she heard someone calling her name.

"Maggie. Maggie!" she slowly turned and was frightened to see Hal, storming towards her with anger radiating from every bone in his body.

* * *

**AN/: Hey everyone, I know this chapter was really late, but it's a little longer than normal :)**

**if you haven't guessed it by now, im pretty bad when it comes to keeping a deadline, as life often likes to get in the way of my writing :P anyway, for those who have read my story from the beginning, thank you :3 your support means so much to me.**

**for those of you that didn't notice, this is my 10th chapter! yay! I know it's not that big of a deal, but I only planned for this story to be a quick one-shot and because of all the lovely reviews I've gotten, I've decided to continue :) *self hi-five* :D**

**also, I know I may currently be focusing more predominantly on the drama side of the story, but for those action lovers, don't worry. more alien action is on the way! ;) **

**also, who is loving the new season so far! I think it's brilliant! I never miss a new episode and I have every single one, up to date, saved to my laptop! which means im constantly spending time on FS marathons ;)**

**okay, long AN over! xx**

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**Guest reviewer: chapter 7, Hi! I'm glad you found this story too! :) I'm glad you think I write the characters well, thank you :) I'm not sure whether to be happy or sad that the scene between Anne and Maggie made you cry, but I was trying to convey that sort of emotion, so the fact that it got across is good, I guess :) I'm so happy you like my story so far, there's plenty more to come! ;)**


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